III. Exchanges in Culture, Education and Tourism
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and New
Zealand, bilateral cultural exchanges have seen a continuous development.
From 1972 to 1980, there were a few exchanges of visits by the two countries'
art ensembles and art exhibitions. Since China's reform and opening-up, the
cultural exchanges and cooperation field between New Zealand and China has been
broadened..
In 1981, New Zealand's Minister of Internal Affairs and Art visited China.
During the visit, the two sides reached a verbal agreement on the 1982/83
cultural exchange programs. That visit was followed by the respective visits to
China by the Director of New Zealand Elizabeth II Art Committee, and Secretary
of the NZ Ministry of Internal Affairs and Art and by the visit to NZ by a
Chinese Cultural Study Group. Since then, there has been a steady increase of
contacts between the two countries' cultural officials as well as culture and
art exchange programs. In April 1992, Mr. Liu Deyou, Vice Minister of Chinese
Ministry of Culture visited New Zealand.
In 1996, New Zealand's Secretary of Ministry of Culture visited China.
In 1997, Ms. Jennifer King, Program Manager of Media and Culture of the New
Zealand Asia 2000 Foundation visited China.
In 1999, Chinese Tibetan Performing Arts Troupe sponsored by the Chinese
People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries toured New Zealand
and achieved great success.
In 2001, Li Gang, Deputy Director of Information Office of the State Council
and Tsiring, Deputy Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region visited New Zealand for
the "Tibet Cultural Week" held there.
In September 2002, the Beijing Municipal Government and Wellington Municipal
Government co-hosted the "Beijing Cultural Week" in New Zealand.
In December 2002, Wang Zhan, vice Minister of Education visited New Zealand,
and met with Hon Trevor Mallard, Minister of Education. Mr Wang signed with Mr.
Howard Fancy, secretary-general of Ministry of Education the China-New Zealand
MOU on Cooperation in Education and Training.
From 1974, China and New Zealand began to exchange students. In June 1998,
the New Zealand government announced that it would increase the quota for
Chinese students to study in New Zealand up to 4000. In October 1999, the New
Zealand government announced that it would set no limit to the quota for Chinese
student to study in New Zealand.
New Zealand is the fifth-largest destination for Chinese students studying
abroad. China is New Zealand's largest source of foreign students. By the end of
2002, over 40,000 Chinese were studying in New Zealand.
At the end of April 1995, after attending the annual meeting of Pacific Asia
Travel Association, Mr. Liu Yi, Minister of the Chinese National Tourism
Administration visited New Zealand and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
Tourism Cooperation between the National Tourism Administration of the People's
Republic of China and the New Zealand Tourism Board. In November 1997, Chinese
State Council approved New Zealand as an official tourist destination for
Chinese tourists traveling abroad. In May 1999, the two sides exchanged letters
on the implementation arrangements regarding that travel operation. The
operation officially started in July.
In 2002, 58,741 tourists from China visited New Zealand, an increase of 10.8%
compared with the previous year; and 50,198 tourists from New Zealand visited
China, an increase of 13.2%.