A Letter of Consolation

28 Jan 2020

A Letter of Consolation

Overseas Chinese Federation of Hubei and Wuhan:

The recent outbreak of new coronavirus pneumonia in China has affected the hearts of overseas Chinese and overseas Chinese as well as international friends. We have received the care and greetings of many friends from local and around the world!

Here, all members of the NZ Hubei Economic Trade Cultural Association hope to express our sincere consolation to the folks in Wuhan, Hubei, and to pass the care of the New Zealanders through you!

Our Association, like the Chinese and overseas Chinese from all over the world, responds to the initiative of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, actively donate through multiple channels, or contacts the supply of materials such as masks to do what we can for our home country and our hometown of Wuhan, Hubei.

At the same time, by using close ties with our relatives and friends in our hometown, we can learn first-hand and true information, and pass it to the media and friends in the place where they live, act the role media bridge.

The epidemic is ruthless but there is love in The World. Let love and strength be with the people of Wuhan! We believe that under the leadership of the Chinese government, and with the support of the people across the country, the new coronavirus will be controlled until it is eliminated!

 

All members of

NZ Hubei Economic Trade Cultural Association

Multi Culture come into Waimakariri Tuahiwi Marae

Formal Maori welcome ceremony with Hongi

Newly elected Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon (middle),  Dr Yafei Zhou (left), president of NZ Hubei Economy Trade Culture Association attended this great event as well.

Newly immigrated people happily met here at the event.

 

On 9th November 2019 Saturday, on behalf of the Migrants and Newcomers Group, Waimakariri District Council Community Team organized a “Cultural Connections” event at Tuahiwi Marae for multi-ethnic cultural connection and exchange, co-operated by NZ Hubei Economic Trade Culture Association (NZ HB ETC).

The newly elected Waimakariri District mayor, Mr Dan Gordon attended the event, made a speech. Over 20 Christchurch Chinese performers presented Chinese performances to showcase the Chinese style and culture to the representatives of ethnic groups, nearly 130 people in total including representatives of various countries.

In the Marae Hall, we have been warmly welcomed by the Maori hosts, learned Maori protocol, experienced the Hongi and Maori culture. A brief introduction of Maori history and culture by Maori elders and head Bob Bolanos.

Dr Zhou Yafei, President of (NZ HB ETC), briefly introduced to the delegates: In 2016, the (NZ HB ETC) Association facilitated and helped Enshi (in Hubei China) and Waimakariri established sister city relationship. Official and civil of the two districts visited each other successively and conducted exchanges and interactions in the fields of agriculture and animal husbandry, soil science, culture, education, and tourism.

Then he introduced the two shows performed by Christchurch Chinese performers.

After the welcoming ceremony, representatives of various countries performed shows representing their own culture.  The Chinese representative performed a graceful Tibetan dance, and the colorful cheongsam dress show with BeiJing Opera music made the audience fascinated and applause!

Another high light of the event was the pot luck lunch: each of the delegates brought a dish with their own national characteristics to share with everyone. Together with the Maori and Kiwi cuisine provided by the organizers of the event, the delegates enjoyed delicious food reflected the different cultures.

Finally, the event was ended in the singing of “We Are the World” by all attendees.

Video by Xu Bai Zeng

Reported by Yang Zhou (NZ HB ETC)

Click the link here to view a video by BaiZeng Xu

More photos to be enjoyed by click following <<NZ Messenger>> report:

各民族代表欢聚“文化联接”， 共展民族风情文化（高清大图）

Co-organizing 2019 Waimakariri Winter Festival

Today, Sunday 21st July, it is the middle of Winter!

There is a lot happening in Waimakairiri!

Text / Video: Xu Baizeng

On July 21st, organised by the Waimakariri Winter Festival Organizing Committee, and co-organised by the New Zealand Hubei Economic Trade Culture Association, and supported by the New Zealand ChuanYu General Association, the annual Winter Festival was held in Rangiora.

On the day, despite the wet weather, the entire Waimakariri region got behind the Festival and the crowds came out!

The whole event was still popular and was a happy paradise for children, with bouncy castles, music, food, an animal farm, ice sculptures, bumper boats, market stalls, a photo exhibition, clowns, face-painting and of course the cultural performers! On the main stage, the Chinese dance team of Christchurch danced in the rain, their professionalism and wonderful performances were appreciated by the crowd who applauded them.

So, on this day, in the middle of winter, and even in the rain, the people in Waimakariri were entertained and had fun!

Enjoy the video by click this link

Click the link to view the photo slideshow 

Dr Yafei Zhou, president of NZ Hubei Economy Trade Culture Association, member of Waimakariri-Enshi sister city advisory group made a speech.

Pandas joined in merry-making！

《Fire Phoenix》fire up to warm everyone in the cold winter

Beautiful Mongolia dance

《Cup Flowers》dance became《Dancing in the rain》

Chinese Han dress shown in the middle

Joyful with Kiwi actor!

News of The North Canterbury News 25 July 2019:

<<New Zealand Messenger>> News report 26 July 2019

Facilitate Education Exchanges Between NZ and China

Reported by NZ HB ETC association

Photographed by JianHai Chen

Recent years, the NZ Hubei Economic Trade Cultural Association has made efforts to
promote exchanges and cooperation between NZ and China, via private organization
and local governments, and exchanged ideas and visited each other in the cultural,
educational, tourism, and agricultural science and technology fields in Wuhan and
Enshi. With the interaction, we have achieved positive results.
In May this year, our association helped and organized the mayor delegation of
Waimakariri visited Enshi and Wuhan. The delegation has paid more attention to the
NZ China education exchange, and hope Chinese teachers and students to visit. They
are eager to let NZ children get know of the talents of Chinese children and their
comprehensive quality. Before the Wuhan education delegation arrived, the local
media forecasted the activities of the delegation and attracted the attention of the local
kiwis.
In early July, we organized 37 teachers and students to fly from hot Wuhan to the
southern hemisphere cold winter, and visited schools in Christchurch, Waimakariri and
Queenstown. The youngest student in the delegation is only younger than 9 years old,
it was one of the highlights of the cultural exchange activities of the Wuhan Education
Delegation.


On 2nd July, our association held a unique cultural exchange event at Kaiapoi High
School in Waimakariri. Mr Kevin Felstead, Deputy Mayor of in Waimakariri District,
Consul Jianjun Zai, Chinese Consulate General in Christchurch, Dr Yafei Zhou,
President of the NZ Economic Trade Cultural Association, Ms Elizabeth McMeeken,
Deputy principle and head girls of Kaiapoi High, delivered welcome speeches.
Executive deputy President Dr Gong Qin, members and representatives of our
association, local Chinese community, media representatives, Kaiapoi High School
deputy principal, teachers and students, more than 100 people attended the event.
They sincerely praise and encourage the Chinese students carrying out education and
cultural exchanges, and promote mutual understanding and friendship between
teachers and students of the two countries. The head of the Wuhan education delegation, Wu Xiaohong, and the deputy principal of Kaiapoi High School, Elizabeth McMeeken, exchanged souvenirs and expressed their desire for future cooperation. The leaders of the two sides were pleased to present the honorary certificate of “NZ and China Cultural Exchange Ambassador” to the members of the educational delegation coming from Wuhan China, then took group photos.

After the impassioned Maori kapa haka, an elegant Chinese folk songs and dances and the traditional Beijing Opera performed.
The delegation members visited the school’s teaching facilities with enthusiasm,
watched the way the students were studying, and experienced NZ learning style and
atmosphere, participated in cooking demonstrations, tasted creamy scones, then
entered the music class, and enjoying the performance of NZ students, a Chinese
student played a piano as well. Through a short visit and interactions, the teachers and
students of both sides left a deep impression and made friends.


In May this year, with the delegation of the mayor of Waimakariri district, Mrs Sarah
Saunders of Kaiapoi High School, the marketing and project manager, visited the
Enshi and Wuhan. In an interview with the media, she said during the visit, she
watched the Chinese students’ calligraphy performance, electronic video teaching and
experience the 3D anime visual film, interacting with the various teaching methods of
teachers and students, was deeply impressed! She once again thanked the NZ Hubei
Economic Trade Cultural Association for facilitating the exchange of NZ and Chinese
education, and will strive to promote exchanges and cooperation with Wuhan and
Enshi education. The local medias reported on the visit of the Mayor of Waimakariri
delegation to Enshi and Wuhan, and the cultural exchange activities of the Wuhan
Education Delegation.
From July 3rd to 5th July, the delegation visited the Breens intermediate School, Merrin
School in Christchurch, and St Joseph School in Queenstown. They were warmly
received and welcomed by hundreds of teachers and students from each school. In the
auditorium, in addition to speech by both school principals and watching the short
video introduced by each schools, the students exchanged ideas each other, made
Maori handicrafts Putiputi and Chinese papercut art. After interactions such as
conversation, practice, calligraphy demonstration and talent show, they interacted with
each other. Handmade souvenirs donated by students, even though they are not
classmates, but seems better than classmates!
The leaders of each schools met more cordially on the basis of communication prior to
meet and consensus. After the conversation face to face, it was agreed that the
establishment of a friendly school relationship would be beneficial to the long-term
exchanges between the teachers and students of the schools and the cooperation of
the project. Under the witness of the president of NZ Hubei Economic Trade Cultural
Association, the principals of two sides signed the “Letter of Intention for the Schools
Friendship”.
During the tour of NZ, the delegation visited the well-known Otago and Canterbury
University, experienced the atmosphere of the iceberg of the Antarctic life, explored the
beautiful scenery of NZ. While spreading the Chinese culture overseas, teachers and
students have also broadened their international horizons. They took home the full of
the learning experience and the love of NZ teachers and students, and look forward
to the bright future with confidence!

Click the link here to view details of the activity

Waimakariri Mayor Delegation Visited Sisiter City Enshi in May 2018

Bridging by overseas Chinese,

exchange and cooperation,

aiming win-win situation

Under the facilitation and organization of the NZ Hubei Economic Trade Cultural Association, a delegation of 11 members from New Zealand government and entrepreneurs headed by Mr David AYERS, the mayor of Waimakariri district NZ visited Enshi Prefecture, Hubei Province during 12th ~ 16th May 2018.

 

Leaders of both parties talked and exchanged information and ideas, to keep tracking and implement, match the goal of “3 years acting plan” that drafted in 2017.
The Waimakariri delegation would make the education field as an entry point for cooperation between the two sides to facilitate the interactive cooperation between business enterprises and tourism, promote humanities and cultural exchanges between the two places, develop NZ and China friendship, and achieve a win-win situation!

Click the link to view details of the photo slide report

Be a volunteer gardener for Christchurch Chinese Garden

Hawswell Park in Christchurch NZ was a mining site in the past,  the city council offered part of the parkland to Christchurch’s six sister city committee to use. More than 10 years ago, China’s Gansu and Wuhan city have become Christchurch Sister Cities, every year since then, the City Sister City Committee members and friends paved the way in the park on the slopes, through voluntary labor, reclamation, conservation of this piece of land.

2017 December 9, Saturday, Christchurch temperature was up to 34 degrees, the hot weather did not change more than 40 volunteers’ mind to take part in the voluntary work for the gardening!

Erin Diao (right) was the main organizer of Chinese gardens voluntary work, she is a major designer, and one of the Committee members of the Christchurch Sister City Committee.

Dr Yafei Zhou, one of the Committee members of the Christchurch Sister City Committee, President of NZ Hubei Economy Trade Culture Association (Middle and rear) joined this meaningful voluntary work with passion with association’s members.

Cheerful once completed the task for the day!

Report by Secretary of NZ Hubei Economy Trade Culture Association