Chinese New Year celebrations at Parliament

Hon Jenny Salesa
Ethnic Communities

Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa will host an event at Parliament tonight, to celebrate Chinese New Year, one of the most significant dates on the Chinese calendar.

“Chinese New Year is celebrated around the globe wherever Chinese people have settled and started communities and it’s no different here in Aotearoa” says Ms Salesa.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed attending many New Year festivities, this month, and I look forward to hosting tonight’s celebrations.

“I am honoured to have Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, as one of the guest speakers” says Ms Salesa.

The Minister also welcomes Qu Guanzhou from the Chinese Embassy; Meng Foon, President of the NZ Chinese Association; and Kai Luey, Chair of the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust, who will also speak at the event.

2018 is the Year of the Dog. People born in the Year of the Dog are loyal, honest, friendly, faithful, smart, and have a strong sense of responsibility.

Minister Salesa along with Kai Luey, will also be launching the book ‘The Fruits of our Labour: Chinese Fruit Shops in New Zealand’, a history of Chinese fruit shops in New Zealand and stories about the families that own them.

Chinese New Zealanders account for four percent of New Zealand’s total population and are our third largest ethnic group.

“The first Chinese New Year event was celebrated at Parliament in 2002, and has been celebrated annually, since then, and I’m pleased to be able to continue the tradition.

“Xian Nian Kuai Le. Happy Chinese New Year” says Ms Salesa.

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