Wellington, 12 November 2007
Your Excellency the Honorable Anand Satyanand, Governor General of New Zealand, and Mrs. Susan Satyanand,
The Honorable Dr. Michael Collin, Deputy Prime Minister,
The Honorable Ministers,
Mrs. Linda Zhang, Chair of China and New Zealand Business Council,
Distinguished Officials of NZ Government,
Leaders of the Chinese Communities,
Colleagues from the Diplomatic Corps,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My wife and I are delighted and indeed greatly honored to come to the beautiful Government House to celebrate, through this special China Evening, the 35th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and New Zealand. May I begin by offering our heartfelt congratulations to all the Chinese and Kiwi friends present here, and expressing in particular our sincere gratitude to Your Excellency the Honorable Governor General for the warm remarks you have just made about my country.
As China's ninth ambassador since 1972, the anniversary observation is of special significance. Not only it offers us a moment of reflection on the past, while paying tribute to the people who have helped bring us to this far, but also it gives us an opportunity to look ahead with renewed commitment to the cause of China-NZ friendship and partnership.
In mid-December 1972, Ambassador Scott, NZ's representative at the United Nations, acting on instruction of Prime Minister Norman Kirk, met with his Chinese counterpart, Ambassador Huang Hua, for talks to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries. The process was not a lengthy one. In fact, the agreement was reached and signed on 22 of December, less than ten days later. Ambassador Huang, now 95, who later became China's foreign minister and vice premier, still remembers this.
The decision to establish diplomatic relations with China received bipartisan support at home. In 1975, Prime Minister Robert Muldoon visited China, the first ever by a NZ head of government. Chinese leaders have reciprocated with enthusiasm. So much so that it has become almost impossible to keep track of all the official visits or high-level meetings between the two countries. Take this anniversary year for example. President Hu Jintao held meetings with Prime Minister Helen Clark at Sydney APEC summit in September. Premier Wen Jiabao will soon meet his NZ counterpart at East Asia Summit in Singapore, the second since the beginning of the year. Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan visited NZ in March and Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen visited China in September. Foreign Minister Winston Peters and many NZ cabinet ministers have visited China. And Chinese officials at ministerial and provincial levels visiting NZ are an easily 3-digits number.
China-NZ relations are by no means limited to exchanges at the government level. Trade and commerce is an area that has made tremendous strides. I cannot concur, nor can I challenge, NZ statistics that bilateral trade has expanded one thousand times since diplomatic recognition, from merely 7 million to 7.3 billion dollars. I cannot be more pleased if it is really true. But I know that as a result of this spectacular expansion, China is already the third largest trade partner of NZ, the 4th largest export market and the second largest source of import.
Education is another area that saw steady progress. In addition to tens of thousands of Chinese students studying in NZ universities and polytechnic schools, with a ratio far greater than that of any country in Europe and America, the secondary and primary schools in NZ are introducing courses of the Chinese language at a rate beyond the most optimistic estimate. We have responded to both trends by establishing the Confucius Institute at the University of Auckland and beefing up the education office of the embassy.
Military to military ties is yet anther area that deserves special mentioning. Chinese naval ships DDG Harbin and Fuel Tanker Hongzehu have just paid port calls at Auckland and Wellington, while RNZN Frigate Te Kaha visited Shanghai and Zhanjiang. The two navies, together with Australian navy, held a joint search and rescue exercise at Tasman Sea, the first of its kind. What is more, the Chinese army sent its Rugby team for the first time to New Zealand, and their presence and matches with the host were enthusiastically received. The final score is a delightful tie, with the Chinese team defeating the air force, narrowing losing to the navy, losing convincingly to the army, but nosing out the navy again in a Rugby Seven rematch. I of course stand to be corrected. This shows that despite all the medals we have got in international competition, we still have a great deal to learn from you.
In reviewing the vast distance we have traversed together with ups and downs, I cannot but think of some towering figures that made important contributions to China-New Zealand friendship and partnership. Rewi Alley certainly stood out as a giant. Two months ago, I joined many Chinese and New Zealand friends in an emotional journey to Western China where Rewi once worked under extremely harsh conditions. We paid tribute to this great Kiwi hero, China's Rewi, for his 60 years of devoted and selfless service to the Chinese people. Later this month, I will go to Springfield of South Island, Rewi's birthplace, for a special celebration of his 110th birthday.
But the moment of anniversary observance sets my thoughts running on some ordinary, less well-known Kiwi friends. They may not be giant figures, but what they did has warmed the hearts of so many and, in some cases, made a lot difference to the lives of thousands in China, thus helping strengthen the positive image of New Zealand among my countrymen.
On September 30 this year, on the eve of China's National Day, Dr. David Heath of New Zealand was presented with the prestigious Friendship Award by the Chinese Government, for his contribution in controlling the Hydatid Disease in China's west where the disease's highest concentration (affecting 15% of the population) is found. Dr. Heath invented the Hydatid vaccine in 1991. He has since helped China to set up vaccine factory, brought the product back to NZ for testing and had it eventually registered in China in July this year. After working for 5 years in Xinjiang with NZ-made vaccine on the safety, efficacy and longevity of immunity in goats, sheep, cattle and yaks, Dr. Heath in 1999 helped launch a pilot project on Hydatid control in western Sichuan Province with NZ government funding, a project that has been continuously receiving international funding since then.
Another NZ recipient of the Friendship Award is Mr. Ai Dewen. You may ask who is this guy? Yes, that is his Chinese name. His real name is Edwin Charles Maher. Viewers of the English Language channel of CCTV-9 would remember him as a News anchor. Edwin used to work for Australia National Radio as a senior broadcaster. In 2003, he went to China and became first an announcer with the China Radio International and then an anchor with CCTV. He worked hard and readily shared his rich professional experience with his fellow workers, resulting in a remarkable improvement in the quality of CCTV shows. Just think of it, a Chinese TV with a Kiwi face. Did it not say something about the depth of our partnership? Both men are well beyond 60, the retirement age in China, but both enjoy working in less than desirable conditions. The spirit they demonstrate here and the outcome of their work are greatly appreciated by the people in China.
The third New Zealander I will talk about is a woman who, sadly, is no longer with us. She died of cancer last August. Her name is Marie Graheem, president of the Hibiscus Coast Branch of the New Zealand China Friendship Society in Orewa, north of Auckland. My wife and I went there last February to offer congratulations on the official launch of this youngest branch, and were offered to stay with the family. What an extraordinary family! Marie, a Kiwi, married a naval sailor, an American, in Canada, against great odds. The couple worked hard, sometimes taking two even three jobs at a time, and spent the money traveling around the world. They went to China many times. While back home, they got themselves involved with activities of international hospitality and people-to-people friendship. They welcome people, particularly youngsters, from many countries to their Auckland home. The tablecloth with hundreds of names embroidered beautifully on it reads like the United Nations. Her husband's stroke and her cancer treatment greatly restricted their travel, but she refused to slow down. That was when she decided to set up a new branch for Hibiscus Coast near their new home. Last time I saw her was at the National conference of the Friendship Society in Nelson. I presented the Trophy for the Best Branch to her. Last weekend I was in North Shore, and Marie's Chinese daughter-in-law took me to her final resting place. With charming hills and rivers surrounding, Marie's gravy was amongst those belonging to at least dozens of ethnicities. I could not help wondering if this place of her own choice was really what her ideal world would be like.
Ladies and Gentlemen, in two weeks time, I will have been here for two years. As I said many times, I enjoy being China's ambassador in New Zealand. Wherever I travel in this country, I could witness a spontaneous outpouring of goodwill for China and the Chinese people. I enjoy my job, because I know I am doing the right thing, working for a noble end of serving the two great peoples. I enjoy my job, because in doing my job I can always count on the support and cooperation from the New Zealand friends. I enjoy my job, because I am convinced that a peacefully rising China I am representing is in the interest of the people throughout the world.
In the past year, I have done quite some explaining, both in public speeches and private conversations, about China. Thanks to technology revolution and increased interest in learning about China, more people have come to understand China better.
The recently concluded 17th Party Congress provides some important clues as to what China stands for and where it will go in the next decade. First, China will continue to uphold the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It will stick to such key values as scientific outlook of development, continued reform and opening up, social harmony and building a prosperous society in China. Second, the scientific outlook of development is clearly defined as stressing development as the top priority, putting people in the first place, and making inclusiveness and sustainability the fundamental demand and overall consideration the basic method. Third, the next five years are viewed as critical to China's plan for a prosperous society. It requires that China focus on better quality of economic development, step up development of socialist democratic politics, culture and social undertakings important to people's welfare, push defense modernization, promote peaceful reunification and ensure that the country always follow the path of peaceful development.
In achieving its long-awaited development, China needs the support, understanding and cooperation from other countries. China is home to one fifth of the world's population. Our successful development is in itself a contribution to the common lot of humanity. We are ready to work with the international community to tackle the serious challenges before us, be it terrorism, spread of weapons of mass destruction, alien smuggling, drug trafficking, spread of deadly diseases, or environmental degradation as consequence of climate change. Indeed, the enormity of these global challenges has made interdependence of countries inevitable and every nation a stakeholder.
The recently released White Paper, Our Future with Asia, shows that New Zealand has determined that it has vital interests in Asia and is ready to integrate itself into region sharing weal and woe. Nowadays, more and more NZ enterprises have looked to rapidly growing Asia, with China, India and ASEAN countries leading the way, for business and investment opportunities. The Chinese communities are particularly well placed to play a role when it comes to New Zealand ties with China. The China and New Zealand Business Council, CANZ-BC, has been established to help New Zealand businesses, including those owned and operated by local Chinese communities, to take advantage of China's opportunities through better communication and closer exchanges with agencies and enterprises based in China. The forthcoming conclusion of China-NZ FTA will certainly open new horizons for them.
How to place oneself in a no-lose position is critical. At end of the day, it is the appreciation of each other's culture, including the values we cherish, that may decide what business deals are worth entering into. Such concepts as equality and mutual respect, down-to-earth approach, mutual benefit, environmental friendliness, Gung Ho spirit, inter-civilization dialogue and harmony may be helpful in overcoming difficulties. Those who are seen to have embraced these values may have better chance of success in doing business in China.
Ladies and Gentlemen, despite our obvious differences in size, population, cultural legacy and social system, we have much in common. We all love peace and want to see a peaceful, secure and increasingly prosperous Asia-Pacific region. We all want quality of life for our people improve through honest work and free trade. We all want a better world that is sustainable not only for us but future generations as well. While rejoicing at the good work we have accomplished in the past 35 years, let us pledge even stronger efforts in the years ahead. I am confident that in tackling the multiple challenges of the 21st century, China and New Zealand can count on each other and do great things together.
In conclusion, I want you to charge your glasses and join me in a toast,
To stronger ties between China and New Zealand,
To the friendship between the two peoples,
To the health of His Excellency the Honorable Governor General and Mrs. Susan Satyanand, and
To the health of all the Chinese and New Zealand friends present!
Gan Bei!