On 22 March, Consul General Chen Shijie visited Hamilton by invitation to attend the ZURU Nightglow as part of the Balloons Over Waikato 2025.
During the event, Mr Chen had a brief exchange of greetings with New Zealand Member of Parliament Ryan Hamilton and Chairperson of the Balloon over Waikato Trust Steve Gow. Mr Hamilton and Mr Gow welcomed Mr Chen to the festival and briefly introduced its history and special features. Mr Chen congratulated on the success of this year's event and expressed his appreciation for the excellent organizational efforts and vibrant cultural atmosphere in Hamilton. The two sides also shared views on promoting local cultural exchanges between China and New Zealand.
The world-famous Balloon Over Waikato has been held annually since 1999. This year's festival was held in Hamilton from 18 to 22 March, during which more than 20 hot air balloons, including the "NIHAO CHINA! 你好中国！" balloon, were launched and more than 100,000 citizens and tourists participated.
