Hon. Phil Goff, Mayor of Auckland,

Mr. Luo Qiang, Mayor of Chengdu,

Consul General Alistair Crozier,

Mr. Adrian Littlewood, CEO of Auckland Airport,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very honored and pleased to be part of this great event in celebration of the inaugural nonstop flight between Chengdu and Auckland by Si Chuan Airlines. On behalf of Chinese Consulate General in Auckland, I would like to express my warmest congratulations on this successful maiden voyage and warmest welcome to the arrival of Si Chuan Airlines in Auckland.

Pushing forward nonstop flights between major cities of China and Auckland and other cities in my consulate district has been one of the top work priorities for me and my colleagues over the past year. "Build road before you build wealth",just started by a Chinese wellknown saying. Transportation interconnection is an important prerequisite and basis for China to promote policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds with countries along the "One Belt One Road". Today, I am very excited and happy to see that the aviation interconnection between China and New Zealand has developed rapidly, and nonstop flights are mushrooming between major cities of China to Auckland. Just over the past six months, Hong Kong Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Tianjin Airlines and Sichuan Airlines have opened nonstop flights to Auckland respectively. At present, about 150 flights are traveling back and forth between China's major cities and Auckland per week and more than 400 thousand Chinese tourists entering New Zealand per year and 100 thousand New Zealand travellors to China. Some other cities such as Xiamen, Qingdao are on the waiting list to open the direct airlines to Auckland next year. Auckland has not only become the air center of NZ, but also is likely to be the regional and international hub and gate way to south pacific islands and South and North America in the near future.

The nonstop flights between our two sides not only facilitate the exchanges and communications between our two peoples, but also greatly promote the business and provide huge opportunities for trade and investment, bring tremendous benefits to the two peoples and two countries. According to the statistics provided by Auckland airport, each flight generates as much as 130 million US dollars average benefits to New Zealand per year in addition to the job opportunities brought by these flights directly and indirectly. New Zealand's economy is one of the best among the west countries, mainly driven by fast growing export and tourists, in which China plays a very important role.

New Zealand always walks in the forefront of western developed countries' cooperation with China. During Premier Li Keqiang's successful visit to New Zealand in March this year, New Zealand became the first western country to sign the 'One Belt One Road' cooperationagreementwith China. The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was successfully held in Beijing last month which attracted world-wide attention and achieved 276 tangible results, which has aroused widespread attention in New Zealand. New Zealand innovation and science minister Goldsmith led a delegation to attend the summit in Beijing and has extensive meeting and talks with Chinese central government, local governments, business associations and local enterprises. I am confident that In the framework of 'One Belt, One Road', the cooperation between two sides will reach a new level. China is now New Zealand's largest trading partner, largest source of international students and second largest source of tourists. We are faced with tremendous opportunities in developing our cooperation, particularly with the construction of 21st maritime silk road of two countries.

New Zealand is the hometown of the Hobbit people and the kingdom of middle earth. At same time, the quality of air and forest is well recognized as excellent and unique in the world. The impressive sceneries in many New Zealand cities as Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, ChristChurch, Queenstown has attracted many Chinese tourists each and every year. Chengdu is known as the "Land of Abundance", with the rich cultural deposits and beautiful natural sceneries. And it is well known as the hometown of hotpot and Giant Panda. The opening of the Chengdu-Auckland route will bring new vitality to the cooperation between the two sides.

Finally, I sincerely hope that with the arrival of Si Chuan Airlines, New Zealanders will have a better understanding of Chengdu City and Si Chuan Province. I hope more and more Kiwis will enjoy the most authentic spicy hot pot in Chengdu and have an unforgettable appointment with the Giant Panda in Si Chuan. Wish Si Chuan airlines great success!

Thank you!