China, New Zealand celebrate 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties

BEIJING, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the China-Oceania Friendship Association (COFA) held a reception here Wednesday to mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and New Zealand.

Gu Xiulian, vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, New Zealand's ambassador to China Anthony Brown, and some 30 officials from the Chinese government and the New Zealand embassy in Beijing attended the reception.

Vice-President of CPAFFC Li Xiaolin said at the reception that China has always attached great importance to developing relations with New Zealand and regard New Zealand as a good friend for mutually beneficial cooperation and good partner for common development.

She said the CPAFFC and COFA have long had active cooperation and exchanges with the friendly organizations of New Zealand, adding she believed with efforts of both sides, China and New Zealand will make greater achievements in their relations in the future.

Brown said that in the past short 35 years, China has become the third largest trade partner of New Zealand, and some 32,000 Chinese students are studying in New Zealand. China has overtaken Japan as New Zealand's fourth largest source of tourists.

He reiterated the commitment that the embassy and the New Zealand's government will strive to promote the development of relations between the two countries towards greater achievements in the next 35 years.