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Auckland, March 27, 2017
A Chinese Cultural Centre is to be established in Auckland.
It follows the signing of an agreement between Mayor Phil Goff and Chinese Ambassador Wang Lutong.
Auckland has been chosen as the location for New Zealand’s second Chinese Cultural Centre because of our cultural diversity, our size, and the fact that it we home to New Zealand’s largest Chinese community – approximately 120,000 people.
Symbolic gesture
2017 marks the 45th year of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and China, and this new project symbolises the strength of the relations between New Zealand and Auckland with China.
New Zealand will be the first country to have two Chinese Cultural Centres. Usually only the capital city would have such a centre.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said that the Cultural Centre will allow for greater cross-cultural understanding, and enhance areas of mutual interest such as education, languages, arts and culture.
“Auckland Council will help to identify a location for the Cultural Centre,” he said.
The announcement has been made as part of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s three-day visit to New Zealand – two days of which he will spend here in Auckland.
This is a new first to go with another important New Zealand-China first – New Zealand was the first developed country in the world to sign a Free Trade Agreement with China back in 2008.
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