Hon. Mayor Phil Goff,

Dr. Patric Alley, Dear family members of Mr Rewi Alley,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Evening!

I am very pleased to attend the exhibition today in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of Mr. Rewi Alley’s arrival in China, the 120th anniversary of his birth and the 30th anniversary of his passing away. This year, many commemorative events have been held both in China and New Zealand. Today, it is my special honor and pleasure to join the dear relatives and friends of Mr. Rewi Alley in his native country New Zealand in memory of this great man. At this memorable occasion, please allow me on behalf of the Chinese Consulate General in Auckland and in my own name, to pay our highest respect to Mr. Rewi Alley, who is not only the great friend of the Chinese people, but also the ‘big nose grandpa’ whom I had the honor to meet in my childhood at my hometown kindergarten in Hunan province and the very first foreigner I met in my lifetime. I also want to take this opportunity to express my high tribute and gratitude to Rewi Alley’s native country New Zealand for having nurtured this outstanding internationalist, and to Mr. Rewi Ally’s family members and his native people for the friendship and support you rendered to China and the Chinese people.

Mr. Rewi Alley is a well-known name in China and is a highly respected and deeply loved for his support and contribution to the Chinese people’s national independence and construction. He founded the Gonghe movement and Shandan Beilie school, which also received the fund from our Kiwi friends in order to provide material support to the Chinese people during the war of resistance against Japanese aggression. Today when we are commemorating Mr. Rewi Alley, we will never forget other Kiwi friends Kathleen Hall, Robert Spencer, Babara Spencer, Shirley Barton, James Bertran, Bill Willmott and many others, who contributed to China’s revolution, construction and China-New Zealand friendship.

As the founder of the New Zealand-China Friendship Society, Mr. Rewi Alley has made strenous efforts to promote the friendship between the peoples of China and New Zealand, played a unique role in the development history of Sino-New Zealand relations and made important contribution to the mutual understanding between New China and the rest of the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If Mr. Rewi Alley were still alive, he must be very proud and happy to see the great progress New China has achieved through more than 6 decades of hard work under the leadership of the communist party of China. China, from once a poor nation scarred by foreign aggression and civil war, has now become the world’s No. 2 economy with its GDP accounting 15% of the world, No. 1 manufacturer, No. 1 exporter of goods in the world. Over 7 million people have been lifted out of poverty. The people’s living standard has been remarkably improved and the international status has been tremendously upgraded. China is closer, more confident and more capable than ever before making the china dream of national rejuvenation a reality. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which was just successfully concluded just more than two weeks ago in Beijing, pointed out that China has entered a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics.This congress laid out a clear blueprint for reaching the goal of building China into a better off society in all respects by 2020 and a two-step goal to become a strong socialist country which will be prosperous, democratic, harmonious, culturally advanced and beautiful. In the new era, China will make more contribution to the whole world. I believe that is what Mr. Rewi Alley wished and dedicated his life for.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If Mr. Rewi Alley were still alive, he must be very proud and happy to see the great achievement China and New Zealand relationship has made. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand. Over the past 40 decades, the bilateral relations have maintained very good momentum of development. Particularly, after President Xi Jinping’s successful state visit to New Zealand in 2014, the bilateral relations have been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership. At present, China has become New Zealand's largest trading partner, the largest source of overseas students and the second largest overseas tourists market. In March this year, Premier Li Keqiang's successful visit to New Zealand gave a strong push to the development of bilateral relations and added a number of new ‘firsts’ in the history of China-New Zealand relations, including agreement on the upgrading of the FTA negotiations, the signing of the MOU on Co-operation and decision to establish a China Culture Center in Auckland. Premier Li Keqiang visited the exhibition on the 120th anniversary of the birth of Rewi Alley and said with deep emotion: Mr. Rewi Alley is the old friend whom the Chinese people highly respected, he devoted his life to the national independence and national construction, especially to the anti-fascist war, he worked together with the Chinese people, the Chinese people will keep this history in mind forever, and hope that our two countries will continue to carry forward the spirit of Rewi Alley and constantly promote Sino-New Zealand friendly relations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If Mr. Rewi Alley were still alive, he must be very proud and happy to see the tremendous opportunities we are faced in developing our bilateral ties in future. With the solid foundation Mr Rewi Alley and both countries have laid to the relationship, we have stood on a very high point in cementing our bilateral ties. There are more and more areas for us to co-operate.We have many in common in economic complimentarity and development concept etc.China will continue its economic development . One belt and one road construction will provide us more opportunities of cooperation in all areas, trade, financing, tourism, infrastructure and people to people exchanges, aviation, maritime etc. A strong relationship between our two countries is not only in the interest of the peoples of our two countries and but also conducive to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and the world.This is our wish and also what Mr. Rewi Alley wished.

I hope all of us particularly the younger generation of our two countries will carry on Rewi Alley’s legacy and work together to create a better future for Sino-New Zealand relationship. Mr. Rewi Alley will live forever in the hearts of the peoples of China and New Zealand.

Wishing the Rewi Alley Art Exhibition a grand success! Thank you all!