The Right Honorable John Key, Prime Minister ,

Ministers and Members of Parliament,

City Councillors,

Mr. Steven Wong, President of Auckland Chinese Associations,

Leaders of Chinese communities,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

非常高兴与大家欢聚一堂,共同庆祝中新建交40周年.首先我谨代表中国驻奥克兰总领馆对此次活动的组织者所做的精心筹备表示由衷的敬意,对长期以来关心和支持中新关系发展的各界朋友表示衷心的感谢!

It is my great pleasure to join you to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand. I would like to acknowledge the Organizing Committee for your elaborate work and express my gratitude for your support and dedication to the development of our bilateral ties.

中新关系的发展经历了不平凡的 40年.两国在政治互信,经贸往来和人文交流领域都取得了丰硕的成果,堪称中国与西方发达国家"双边关系的典范".

We have passed through the remarkable 40 years, which witnessed the deepening of mutual understanding and political trust, soaring of trade volume, and thriving cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts. We may proudly regard it as one of the best example of bilateral relations between China and Western countries.

目前双边关系正处于历史上最好的时期,自中新自贸协定实施4年多来,两国经贸关系迅速发展.去年,中新双边贸易额超过133亿新元,是2008年的2.3倍.中国已成为新西兰第二大贸易伙伴,出口市场和第一大进口来源地.今年2月,新西兰政府发布首份中国战略报告,制定了未来5年对华关系的战略目标,其中包括到2020年将双边贸易额提升至200亿新元的目标.

In the recent past four years since the FTA taking effect, we have seen rapid growing business ties between our two countries. Last year, our bilateral trade exceeded 13 billion NZ dollars, 2.3 times the trade volume when the FTA first took effect in 2008. Now China has become New Zealand's second largest trading partner, the second largest export market and the largest source of import. Last February, the New Zealand government launched the first "China Strategy" and set up the strategic goals to achieve in NZ-China relations in the next five years. We are certainly on track to see the further development of the sound and cooperative relationship between China and New Zealand, including the goal of doubling our trade to $20 billion dollars by 2015.

在人文交流方面,中国已成为新西兰最大的留学生来源地.据最近新西兰英文先驱报报道,今年来自中国的游客数量已超过美国和英国成为新西兰第二大游客来源地,且仍在快速增长,今年9月来新的中国游客数量同比增长了74.2%.两国在文化,科技,环保等领域的交流与合作也方兴未艾.

On the people to people level, we are happy to see that more and more Chinese tourists and students come over here to study and visit in this beautiful country. China is now the biggest source of international students. According to a news report by the New Zealand Herald that the number of Chinese visitors to New Zealand has overtaken both the United states and Britain for the first time. China now ranks the second largest source of tourist for New Zealand. Chinese visitor numbers at the Auckalnd airport were up by 74.2% for September compared with the same month last year.

奥克兰华人华侨在中新双边关系中起着重要的纽带和桥梁作用,为促进中新交往,增进相互了解和加强经贸合作做出了巨大的贡献.在此,我们向所有奥克兰的华人华侨朋友致以崇高的敬意和谢意.

最后,我祝中新关系不断健康发展,祝大家幸福快乐!

The Auckland Chinese communities have long played an important role in connecting our two nations and promoting exchanges and mutual understanding and cooperation. I hereby extend my admiration and gratitude to you all.

In closing, I wish China and NZ evergrowing prosperity, and wish all of you good health and happiness! Thank you.