On 9 January, Consul General Chen Shijie paid a visit to Mike Dawson, National President of the New Zealand-China Friendship Society and President of its Auckland Branch, and his wife Ding Mei. Vice Consul General Wang Junchao accompanied the visit.

Chen extended New Year greetings to the couple and briefed them on the major outcomes of high-level interactions and practical cooperation between China and New Zealand across various fields over the past year. He commended the NZCFS Auckland Branch for its positive contributions to promoting people-to-people friendship and the continuous development of bilateral relations. Chen hoped that, in the new year, the Branch would give full play to its strengths, tell the story of win-win cooperation between China and New Zealand, and further consolidate the foundation of friendship between the two peoples. He added that the Consulate-General stands ready to work closely with the Branch to carry forward and renew the enduring friendship between the two countries.

Dawson thanked Chen for the visit and expressed his readiness to maintain close communication with the Consulate-General and encourage more New Zealanders to engage in the cause of China-New Zealand friendship, thereby promoting the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations through concrete actions.