Consul-General Chen Shijie attends closing awards concert of second New Zealand International Music Competition

Summary

Consul-General Chen Shijie attended the closing awards concert of the second New Zealand International Music Competition on 22 August and delivered remarks. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka, MP Nancy Lu and close to 1,000 guests and music lovers attended. Chen said music is a language that crosses national borders and young people are the most vital force in China-New Zealand cultural and people-to-people exchange.

This year's competition brought musicians from different cultural backgrounds onto the same stage, he said, making it both a contest of professional skill and a dialogue between civilisations. The Consulate-General will keep building platforms, support closer friendly exchange between the two countries' arts communities and help steady the long-term development of China-New Zealand relations. Chen and Potaka jointly presented awards to the winners.

Commentary

China-New Zealand cultural and people-to-people exchange is warming, and events of this scale provide soft backing for the bilateral relationship. New Zealand's creative industries account for about 3 percent of GDP; music is a small segment, but an effective vehicle for sharpening the country's brand recognition. For small and medium-sized business owners, the competition itself brings no orders.

Yet the goodwill signalled by a consul-general and a Māori minister sharing a stage may lower the trust threshold for cultural goods and services entering the Chinese market, giving tourism, education and music copyright exports a platform to market themselves. The counterpoint is that cultural exposure needs commercial channels to match, or it risks staying ceremonial. Nearly 1,000 audience members and a pool of young musicians will only deliver tangible returns if they are converted into follow-on tours, co-productions and other concrete projects.

Keywords: Chen Shijie, second New Zealand International Music Competition, Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland, China-New Zealand cultural and people-to-people exchange, closing awards concert, Tama Potaka, Minister for Māori Development, Nancy Lu, young musicians, dialogue between civilisations

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

8月22日，中国驻奥克兰总领事陈世杰出席第二届新西兰国际音乐大赛闭幕颁奖交响音乐会并致辞。新西兰毛利发展部长塔玛·波塔卡、国会议员陆楠及各界来宾、音乐爱好者近千人参加。陈世杰表示，音乐是跨越国界的语言，青年是中新人文交流最鲜活的力量，本届赛事汇聚不同文化背景音乐人同台切磋，既是专业技艺比拼，更是文明对话互鉴；总领馆将一如既往搭建平台，支持两国艺术界加强友好往来，推动中新关系行稳致远。

陈世杰与波塔卡共同为获奖选手颁奖。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

中新人文交流升温，此类高规格文化活动为双边关系提供软性支撑。新西兰创意产业占GDP约3%，音乐细分领域规模不大，却是提升国家品牌辨识度的有效载体。对中小企业主而言，赛事本身不直接带来订单，但总领事与毛利部长同台释放的政策善意，可能降低文化产品和服务进入中国市场的信任门槛，旅游、教育、音乐版权出口可借势营销。

另一视角是，文化曝光需配套商业渠道，否则易流于仪式性。近千名观众及青年音乐人资源，若能转化为后续巡演、联合制作等具体项目，才有实际收益。

关键词: 陈世杰, 第二届新西兰国际音乐大赛, 中国驻奥克兰总领馆, 中新人文交流, 闭幕颁奖交响音乐会, 塔玛·波塔卡, 毛利发展部长, 陆楠, 青年音乐家, 文明对话互鉴

Source: Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland – Consulate-General News