On 1 February, the Federation of Chinese Associations in New Zealand (FCANZ) held the 2025 Spring Festival Gala. Around 200 guests attended this event, including Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiaolong, Consul General Chen Shijie, New Zealand’s Minister of Health Hon Simeon Brown, Labour Party Leader Rt Hon Chris Hipkins, Members of Parliament Carlos Cheung and Lawrence Xu-Nan, along with various representatives from the local community.

In his speech, Consul General Chen extended New Year greetings to the guests and the local overseas Chinese community. He encouraged the overseas Chinese to continue supporting and actively engaging themselves in the development of both China and New Zealand, making greater contributions to the growth of bilateral relations. Chen also offered an overview of China’s economic progress in the past year and the pragmatic cooperation between China and New Zealand, noting that China will maintain strong economic and social development momentum, creating new opportunities of growth for all countries, including New Zealand. He emphasised the Consulate General’s readiness to work together with the local Chinese community in pooling the wisdom, injecting positive energy, and writing a new chapter in the development of China-New Zealand relations.

New Zealand guests also delivered speeches, wishing the Chinese community a happy New Year and expressing gratitude for their contributions to promoting the bilateral relationship and New Zealand’s multicultural society.