Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister of New Zealand
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

6 April 2006 Media Statement

New Zealand-China cultural agreement signed

Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark and the Premier of China Wen Jiabao today witnessed the signing of an agreement to strengthen cultural ties between New Zealand and China.

Martin Matthews, Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, and His Excellency Mr Zhang Yuanyuan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, signed the agreement in a ceremony at the Beehive following formal talks between the Prime Minister and Premier Wen.

The agreement aims to strengthen ties in the arts, culture, heritage, sport, archives, broadcasting, and tourism. New Zealand currently has cultural agreements with France and Italy.

The cultural agreement complements the arrangement signed last year to promote film, television, and radio co-operation.

“I am pleased that this important cultural agreement with China has now come to fruition,” said Helen Clark.

“It promises the development of a number of exciting cultural exchanges in addition to educational and sporting exchanges which can take place under the umbrella of this new cultural agreement benefiting both our countries."

The Prime Minister and Premier Wen also witnessed the signing of a further three agreements. These included a treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed by the New Zealand Attorney General and the Chinese Foreign Minister; a Deer Protocol signed by the Food Safety Minister and her Chinese counterpart; and a Memorandum of Understanding on co-operation in education and training, signed by the Secretary for Education and the Chinese Ambassador.

ENDS

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