Summary
On 26 May 2026, Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong delivered a video address at the 2026 annual conference of the New Zealand China Friendship Society (NZCFS), themed “Pioneers of Friendship, Historical Legacy and Future Outlook”, aimed at carrying forward Rewi Alley’s spirit and writing a new chapter in China-New Zealand friendship. Wang Xiaolong noted that the current China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership is progressing steadily, becoming a model of mutual benefit and win-win for countries with different systems, with deepening cooperation in trade, agriculture, education, tourism, science and technology, and other fields. He recalled that Rewi Alley travelled to China in 1927 and spent six decades there, being hailed by President Xi Jinping as “a great friend of the Chinese people”.
His spirit embodies internationalism, upholding justice, and win-win cooperation. The Rewi Alley Memorial Hall, unveiled last year in Christchurch by Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, has become an important landmark of China-New Zealand friendship. Next year marks the centenary of Rewi Alley’s arrival in China, and the Chinese Embassy and Consulates will support a series of commemorative events.
Wang Xiaolong called on the NZCFS to play a greater role in three areas: carrying forward Alley’s spirit, promoting people-to-people exchanges, and safeguarding bilateral relations. He also congratulated Ou Baili on his election as Chair of the NZCFS. The address stressed that amid the complex international situation, dialogue and cooperation should be upheld to elevate the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.
Commentary
This address sends a signal of sustained stability in China-New Zealand relations, which for New Zealand SME owners means a more favourable environment for bilateral trade and cooperation. The mutual benefit and win-win advocated by Rewi Alley’s spirit may translate into more concrete business conveniences, such as streamlined inspection and quarantine procedures for agricultural and dairy exports, or lower barriers for SMEs to participate in China-New Zealand tourism and education cooperation projects. However, it is also important to note that current ideological confrontation between blocs could bring volatility to the bilateral relationship.
Businesses should pay attention to policy continuity and use people-to-people channels such as the NZCFS to build localised cooperation networks. From another perspective, the opening of the Alley Memorial Hall and the centenary commemorative activities will attract more Chinese tourists and investors, creating brand promotion opportunities for New Zealand’s tourism, services, and specialty products (e.g., honey, wine). In the short term, it is recommended that SMEs proactively engage with local exchange programmes under the NZCFS and plan cultural marketing ahead of time.
In the long run, attention should be given to cooperation windows in technology and innovation, such as agricultural technology or clean energy. Looking ahead, the resilience of China-New Zealand relations will provide relatively stable market expectations for New Zealand exporters, but businesses still need to diversify risk and avoid over-reliance on a single market.
Keywords: Rewi Alley, China-New Zealand friendship, NZCFS, Wang Xiaolong, bilateral relations, people-to-people exchanges, heritage, cooperation, 2026 annual conference
Summary in Chinese | 摘要
2026年5月26日，中国驻新西兰大使王小龙在新中友协2026年年会上发表视频致辞，主题为“友好先驱、历史传承与未来展望”，旨在传承路易·艾黎精神，续写中新友好新篇章。王小龙指出，当前中新全面战略伙伴关系稳步前行，成为不同制度国家互利共赢的典范，双方在经贸、农业、教育、旅游、科技等领域的合作持续深化。他回顾路易·艾黎1927年远赴中国，扎根六十载，被习近平主席誉为“中国人民的伟大朋友”，其精神包含国际主义、坚守大义和共赢理念。
去年在克赖斯特彻奇落成的路易·艾黎纪念馆，由中国全国人大常委会委员长赵乐际揭牌，现已成为中新友好的重要地标。明年恰逢艾黎抵达中国一百周年，驻新使领馆将支持系列纪念活动。王小龙呼吁新中友协在传承艾黎精神、促进民间交流、维护两国关系三方面发挥更大作用，并祝贺欧百利当选新中友协主席。
致辞强调在复杂国际形势下，应坚持对话与合作，推动中新全面战略伙伴关系迈上新台阶。
Commentary in Chinese | 评论
这篇致辞传递了中新关系持续稳定的信号，对新西兰中小企业主而言，意味着双边贸易与合作的环境将更加友好。路易·艾黎精神所倡导的互利共赢，可能转化为更具体的商业便利，例如农产品、乳制品出口的检验检疫流程简化，或中小企业参与中新旅游、教育合作项目的门槛降低。但同时需注意，当前国际阵营对抗思潮可能给两国关系带来波动，企业应关注政策连续性，利用新中友协等民间渠道建立本地化合作网络。
另一视角是，艾黎纪念馆的开设和百年纪念活动将吸引更多中国游客和投资者，为新西兰的旅游、服务业和特色商品（如蜂蜜、葡萄酒）创造品牌推广机会。短期内，建议中小企业主动对接新中友协的地方交流项目，提前布局文化营销；长期则需关注两国在科技、创新领域的合作窗口，例如农业技术或清洁能源。展望未来，中新关系的韧性将为新西兰出口商提供相对稳定的市场预期，但企业仍需分散风险，避免过度依赖单一市场。
关键词: 路易·艾黎, 中新友好, 新中友协, 王小龙, 双边关系, 民间交流, 传承, 合作, 2026年会
Source: Chinese Embassy in New Zealand – Bilateral Relations
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