This year marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand.
WELLINGTON, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in New Zealand on Thursday evening held a reception in Wellington, the country's capital, to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
The event, held at the National Museum of New Zealand, was attended by over 300 guests, including New Zealand Minister for Ethnic Communities Melissa Lee, members of the New Zealand Parliament, diplomats, and representatives of the Chinese community.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand. In his opening remarks, Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong said this partnership has experienced historic growth over the past decade and achieved unprecedented breadth and depth across various sectors, creating many "firsts" in China's engagement with developed Western countries, and delivering tangible benefits to both nations and peoples.
"China has consistently been New Zealand's largest export market and import source. In 2023, bilateral trade reached nearly 38 billion NZ dollars. Our two countries are actively seeking new heights of collaboration in areas like technological innovation, infrastructure, green development, digital economy, and climate change, while continuing to build on the foundation of traditional cooperation," he said.
On people-to-people exchanges, more than 250,000 people of Chinese heritage in New Zealand are actively integrating into the local community, contributing significantly to the nation's economic and social development. They serve as vital links in cultural exchanges, fostering personal connections between the two countries and deepening the much-needed mutual understanding between the two peoples, the Chinese ambassador said.
The ambassador believed that China's unilateral visa waiver policy for New Zealanders will further facilitate the movement of people and enhance the warmth of interactions, while China has been the largest source of international students and a key contributor of tourists to New Zealand for years.
"Despite changes in the global landscape, the complementary nature of our interests remains steadfast, and our commonalities far outweigh our differences. As the world becomes increasingly complex, it is all the more important for our two countries to enhance understanding and trust and build on our shared interests," he added.
For her part, Deborah Geels, deputy secretary of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, extended congratulations to China, expressing wishes for peace, happiness and prosperity for its people. "As our largest trading partner, China continues to play a vital part in New Zealand's trade prosperity story," she stressed.
A Dunhuang culture exhibition and a Lingnan-style "Tea For Harmony-Yaji Cultural Salon" were also held during the reception, which attracted people to visit. (1 NZ dollar equals 0.62 U.S. dollar) Enditem
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