Christchurch consulate holds awards for second ‘China in My Eyes’ short video contest

Summary

The Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch held the awards ceremony for the second "China in My Eyes" short video contest on September 5 at the city's old parliament building. Consul General He Ying attended, together with Sir David Carter, former Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament and Honorary President of the New Zealand China Friendship Society; Sarah Stewart, representing the Rewi Alley family; and representatives of the New Zealand-China Chamber of Commerce, the Rewi Alley Chinese School, the Confucius Institute at the University of Canterbury and other institutions. He Ying said the contest, themed "People Who Have Contributed to China-New Zealand Friendship," drew more than 160 entries.

The entries took novel perspectives and were sincere in feeling, she said, full of remembrance of pioneers such as Rewi Alley and Kathleen Hall (He Mingqing) and of reflection on the China-New Zealand friendship. She hoped students would carry on the Rewi Alley spirit and serve as young ambassadors for the relationship. Sir David Carter set out Rewi Alley's contribution to China-New Zealand relations and encouraged the students to visit the Rewi Alley Memorial Hall, learn his story and carry the friendship forward.

Award-winning students and their parents visited the Rewi Alley Memorial Hall after the ceremony.

Commentary

The "China in My Eyes" short video competition run by the Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch looks like a cultural event, but its longer-term bearing on China-New Zealand economic and trade relations warrants the attention of New Zealand SMEs. First, stable bilateral relations are the cornerstone of two-way trade. China has been New Zealand's largest trading partner for many consecutive years; goods trade exceeded NZ$40 billion in 2024, and services trade, education and tourism in particular, is equally significant.

Exchanges of this kind help build trust between the two peoples, reduce political uncertainty and give SMEs a more predictable environment for exports to, and investment in, China. Second, on education exports and digital content, the competition drew more than 160 student entries, pointing to the interest New Zealand's younger generation has in China. Education exports generate about NZ$5 billion a year, and Chinese students account for a significant share of total international students.

Cultural activity of this sort can further consolidate New Zealand's image as a safe and friendly study destination while creating potential demand for local educational institutions, tour operators and content creators targeting the Chinese market. SMEs could consider working with local Chinese-language schools or cultural institutions on brand promotion aimed at the Chinese community, or use short video for digital marketing, drawing on the cultural narrative approaches showcased in the competition. The commercial conversion of such activity takes time, however: businesses should treat it as part of long-term relationship building rather than a direct sales channel.

Keywords: Chinese Consulate General in Christchurch, China in My Eyes Short Video Contest, Award Ceremony, Consul General He Ying, Sir David Carter, Rewi Alley, China-New Zealand Friendship, Over 160 Entries, Rewi Alley Memorial Museum, Confucius Institute at the University of Canterbury

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

9月5日，驻克赖斯特彻奇总领馆在克赖斯特彻奇市老议会大楼举办第二届“我眼中的中国”短视频大赛颁奖典礼。何颖总领事与新西兰前议长、新中友协名誉主席戴维·卡特爵士，艾黎家族代表莎拉·斯图尔特，以及新中商会、路易·艾黎中文学校、坎特伯雷大学孔子学院等机构代表出席。何颖总领事表示，本次大赛以“为中新友好作出贡献的人们”为主题，共收到160多份作品，作品角度新颖、感情真挚，充满对路易·艾黎、何明清等先驱的追忆及对中新友谊的感悟，并希望同学们继承艾黎精神，做中新友好的小使者。

卡特爵士介绍了艾黎为中新关系所做重要贡献，鼓励同学们走进艾黎纪念馆，了解艾黎故事，赓续中新友谊。颁奖仪式后，获奖学生和家长参观了路易·艾黎纪念馆。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

驻克赖斯特彻奇总领馆举办的“我眼中的中国”短视频大赛看似是文化活动，但其对中新经贸关系的长期影响值得新西兰中小企业关注。首先，中新关系稳定是双边贸易的基石。中国已连续多年是新西兰最大贸易伙伴，2024年双边货物贸易额超过400亿新元，服务贸易（尤其是教育和旅游）同样重要。

此类文化交流有助于增强民间互信，降低政治不确定性，为中小企业对华出口和投资提供更可预测的环境。其次，从教育出口和数字内容产业看，本次大赛吸引160多份学生作品，显示新西兰年轻一代对中国的兴趣。新西兰教育出口年收入约50亿新元，中国学生占国际学生总数的相当比例。

文化活动能进一步巩固新西兰作为安全、友好留学目的地的形象，同时为本地教育机构、旅游运营商和面向中国市场的内容创作者带来潜在需求。中小企业可考虑与当地中文学校或文化机构合作，开展针对华人社区的品牌推广，或利用短视频形式进行数字营销，借鉴大赛中呈现的文化叙事方式。不过，这类活动的商业转化需要时间，企业应将其视为长期关系建设的一部分，而非直接销售渠道。

关键词: 驻克赖斯特彻奇总领馆, 我眼中的中国短视频大赛, 颁奖典礼, 何颖总领事, 戴维·卡特爵士, 路易·艾黎, 中新友谊, 160多份作品, 艾黎纪念馆, 坎特伯雷大学孔子学院

Source: Consulate-General of China in Christchurch – Consulate-General News