On May 14,HE Ambassador Wu Xi was invited to attend the China Business Summit in Auckland and delivered a speech.
In her speech, Ambassador Wu noted that with the joint efforts of both countries, tremendous progress has been made in China-New Zealand relations. In 2014, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to New Zealand, and the relationship between China and New Zealand was upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Last year, the two countries signed the Memorandum of Arrangement on Strengthening Cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative. China-New Zealand relations have created multiple ‘firsts’ in China’s relations with developed countries. However, while we are proud of what we have achieved, we should in no way be complacent. We need to keep our eyes wide open for the opportunities and take concrete actions to turn the opportunities into real benefits.
Ambassador Wu noted that in his speech at the 19th Party Congress, President Xi Jinping set a clear goal for China’s future development in the coming decades. The goal is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and to achieve national rejuvenation. It is a goal to transcend ourselves, rather than to challenge others. The achievements made over the past four decades of reform and opening-up proved that China has found a development path suitable to its own national conditions. China will continue to unswervingly follow its own development path. As put in his keynote speech at Boao Forum for Asia in April, President Xi Jinping reaffirmed that China will adhere to its fundamental national policy of opening-up, and pursue development with its door wide open. China’s door of opening-up will not be closed and will only open even wider. China will stay as determined as ever to build world peace, contribute to global prosperity and uphold the international order.
Ambassador Wu stated that China’s further opening up has brought new opportunities to all countries in the world, including New Zealand, and provided more powerful impetus for China-New Zealand relations. China stands ready to join hands with New Zealand to safeguard the international system underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and the multilateral trade system based on the WTO rules. We should enhance political mutual trust, expand collaboration in all fields, advance cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthen communication and coordination on regional and international issues, further advance the strategic partnership between the two countries for the benefit of our two peoples, and for the sake of peace, stability and common prosperity of the region and beyond.
The Summit was jointly sponsored by NZ Inc. and Auckland Chamber of Commerce. The focus was to discuss the further development of China-New Zealand relations and the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. New Zealand Prime Minister Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Trade and Export Growth Hon David Parker attended the opening ceremony and addressed the audience. Over 300 people attended the event, including representatives from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other government departments, New Zealand Trade and Enterprises and other institutions, the New Zealand China Council and enterprises of both countries.