CPAFFC President Lin Songtian meets New Zealand ambassador

Ding Li

O n Aug 25， Clare Fearnley， New Zealand’s ambassador to China， visited the former residence of Rewi Alley in the compound of the CPAFFC. President Lin Songtian of the association met with the ambassador and accompanied her around the residence and pointed to the lasting friendship between the people of the two countries.

In the early 1900s， Rewi Alley， an outstanding son of New Zealand， came to China for what became a 60-year journey alongside the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people in their cause of revolution and reconstruction. He lived in the compound of the CPAFFC for more than 30 years and made remarkable contributions to the cause.

To celebrate the centennial of the CPC， the association renovated the former residence and held a photo exhibition there. On July 10， CPAFFC Friendship Day 2021 was held. The association reopened Rewi Alley’s residence and held commemorative activities to express appreciation and admiration. The Chinese people never forget old friends and are dedicated to promoting internationalism in the new era. It is expected that the former residence will become an education center promoting friendship between the two countries.

Lin noted that in June he had visited the graves of Rewi Alley， Alley’s friend George Hogg， the Rewi Alley Memorial Museum and Shandan Bailie School in Shandan county， Gansu province， to refresh the memory of the two international friends of the CPC and Chinese people， carry forward their spiritual legacies and explore new paths to promote people-to-people friendship and further bilateral relations between China and New Zealand.

Lin said that China attaches great importance to the development of friendly ties between the two countries. In 2014， President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to New Zealand， lifting the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership and drawing a new blueprint for its development. In recent years， highlevel mutual visits have been made， and both sides have maintained political trust and mutual respect， laying an important foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas and bringing tangible benefits to the people of the two countries.

Lin noted that China has been the largest trading partner of New Zealand for several consecutive years， and said the two economies are highly complementary. Mutually beneficial cooperation has great prospects， he said. The 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries， the 125th birthday of Rewi Alley， the 95th anniversary of Alley’s arrival in China and the 35th anniversary of his death all come next year. Lin said the association would like to work with New Zealand partners to organize meetings between subnational governments， commemorative activities and youth exchanges to further people-to-people friendship and cooperation.

Fearnley said it’s a pity that she missed the ceremony opening the former residence of Rewi Alley on Friendship Day. She said she visited in August to express her gratitude to the CPAFFC. Rewi Alley is a bridge of friendship connecting the two countries， she said， adding that she had visited former residences and memorial museums of Rewi Alley in Shanghai and in Shaanxi， Gansu and Hubei provinces. She expressed her desire that more people from both countries would learn about his deeds and devote themselves to the promotion of friendship between the two countries. She also hoped more young people would carry on Alley’s legacy and promote people-to-people friendship.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta attach great importance to developing relations with China， Fearnley said. Not long ago， Mahuta participated in a virtual meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Subnational and people-to-people exchanges， trade and economics and climate change are major areas for cooperation between the two countries.

Next year is special in New Zealand-China relations. Fearnley said she looks forward to working with the CPAFFC to organize subnational dialogues and people-to-people exchange programs to remember Rewi Alley.