On 29 October, Minister-Counsellor Xie Yongjun, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of China in New Zealand, was invited to attend and address a cultural and tourism promotion event featuring Hunan Province, held at the New Zealand Parliament.

In his remarks, Minister-Counsellor Xie drew on his personal experiences to highlight the picturesque scenery along the Tuojiang River in the ancient town of Fenghuang, illustrating China's commitment to promoting harmony between humanity and nature, an important feature of Chinese modernisation. He also referred to the harmonious coexistence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism at Mount Heng to elaborate on the essence of the Global Civilization Initiative, and drew on the rich history of Yuelu Academy to explain the profound significance of the principle of “seeking truth from facts” for China's development.

Minister-Counsellor Xie noted that, despite the geographical distance between China and New Zealand, the two peoples share a love of nature, respect for cultural diversity and aspirations for a better life. He expressed the hope that the two sides would further deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and work together to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

The Hunan Provincial Cultural and Tourism Delegation presented the province's rich cultural and tourism resources, highlighting those of Zhangjiajie, Hengyang and Yueyang. An exhibition of Huxiang intangible cultural heritage (ICH) products and a fashion show featuring traditional costumes inspired by ICH were also held at the event.