Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand,
Mr David Tai, Chairman of the Auckland Chinese Community Centre,
Hon Carmel Sepuloni, Representative of the Labour Party ,
Mayor Wayne Brown，
Hon Ministers,
Members of Parliament,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to join you again at the opening ceremony of the Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day. To begin with, I would like to acknowledge the Auckland Chinese Community Centre for organizing this event and the kind invitation to me and my colleagues, including our Consul-General in Auckland. Please allow me to take this opportunity to extend my best wishes to all of you, and through you, to the Chinese community and friends from all walks of life in New Zealand. Happy New Year of the Snake!
The Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, reflecting its origins in the Northern Hemisphere, has long been regarded as the most significant holiday in China. It marks a cherished moment for family and community reunions and forward-looking at the turn of the year. From couplets and dumplings to firecrackers, lanterns, and dragon and lion dances, people across China celebrate with diverse customs and traditions, expressing their blessings and hopes for the year ahead.
While originated in China, the recognition of the Spring Festival worldwide has fostered meaningful cultural exchanges and mutual understanding. In 2024, the festival was inscribed onto UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reflecting its growing popularity as a global phenomenon. It is now an occasion for people across the world to celebrate together in a spirit of shared joy and harmonious coexistence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Looking back on the Year of the Dragon, the People’s Republic of China celebrated its 75th anniversary, and the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China successfully convened its Third Plenary Session, charting a clear course for further deepening reform to advance Chinese modernization. With unity and determination, the entire nation has steadily pushed forward high-quality development, fostered new productive forces, and expanded high-standard opening-up.
Overcoming difficulties associated with insufficient and uneven global economic recovery, China’s economy grew by 5% year-on-year, continuing to be a major engine for growth worldwide.
China reinforced its position as the world’s largest trader of goods, with a 5% growth of total foreign trade volume in 2024. Leveraging its vast market, China actively expanded imports to share its opportunities with the rest of the world, maintaining its ranking as the world’s second-largest importer for 16 consecutive years. Also in 2024, China successfully hosted the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), where nearly 70 Kiwi companies participated, generating NZD 340 million in export revenue.
With constant upgrading and innovation, Chinese manufacturing provides all countries, including New Zealand, with a wide range of high-quality and affordable products, reducing living costs and improving the livelihood of households.
China’s expanding advanced, smart, and green industries have increasingly become pillars of innovation, growth and sustainability, seeing breakthroughs in integrated circuit, artificial intelligence, quantum communications and many other fields.
In addition to advancing our own development, we have actively promoted building a community with a shared future for mankind through implementing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and pursuing more substantive progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. We have expanded exchanges and cooperation with countries around the world, and put forward China’s vision at multilateral forums, such as BRICS, APEC, and G20, contributing to maintaining world peace and stability, and promoting common prosperity.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Last year, China-New Zealand relations have continued to evolve and grow despite a complex global environment, adding more stability and certainty to this uncertain world. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two countries have maintained close high-level exchanges. President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Luxon for the first time in Lima on the sidelines of APEC meetings, Premier Li Qiang paid a successful visit to New Zealand, and New Zealand trade and other ministers visited China several times. The two sides continued our dialogues and exchanges on climate change, foreign policy, trade, military affairs, education and science and technology.
The bilateral trade and economic cooperation has kept a steady momentum despite global headwinds, with China remaining New Zealand’s by far largest trading partner and export market.
New opportunities have emerged for people-to-people exchanges as China has expanded its unilateral visa-free policy for New Zealanders. Our Direct flights have exceeded pre-COVID levels, making travel easier for tourists, students, and other visitors.
In that process, we shall never forget the significant bonding role played by the Chinese community here in New Zealand in pursuit of a friendly relationship between the two countries. Being a unique asset for our bilateral relations, they also have contributed to economic and social development as well as ethnic and cultural diversity in New Zealand. Here, I wish to acknowledge the central and local governments of New Zealand and people from all walks of life for the long-standing support for the Chinese community. I hope and trust that support will continue, including by creating a favourable and non-discriminatory environment for members of the Chinese community to live, study and work here.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In Chinese folklore, the golden snake is a symbol of blessings, ushering in a new beginning. Often referred to as the “little dragon,” as in my own name, the snake represents wisdom, resilience, and good fortune—meanings that also resonate in Western cultures. As we approach the Year of the Snake, we can expect a year filled with hope and opportunity, one that is truly worth our anticipation and effort.
In the coming year, China-New Zealand relations are poised for even greater success. Despite the changes taking place in our external environment, China looks forward to working closely with New Zealand to implement the latest agreement reached by our leaders, build on the positive momentum of high-level exchanges, and deepen cooperation across fields in our relationship. Our goal is to strengthen the bond between our peoples, enhance coordination in multilateral forums, and cultivate a relationship rooted in mutual respect and inclusiveness, focused on cooperation for mutual benefit and shared development. Through concerted efforts, we aim to contribute to the well-being of our peoples and the promotion of peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
In closing, I wish all of you a joyful, healthy, and vibrant Year of the Snake. May China and New Zealand enjoy peace and prosperity, and may our bilateral relationship continue to grow and thrive in the year ahead and beyond.
祝大家蛇年大吉，幸福安康，心想事成。
Thank you.