New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta attends the unveiling of a statue of Rewi Alley on March 24 with Lin Songtian, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries in Beijing. Photo: Courtesy of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

The story of Rewi Alley, a pioneer in the New Zealand-China friendship, symbolizes the solid foundations and time-honored history of the people-to-people exchanges between China and New Zealand, New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said during a visit to the former residence of Rewi Alley in Beijing on Friday.

Mahuta on Friday visited the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, which is at the same location as the residence where Alley lived for 30 years in Beijing. She also attended the unveiling of a statue of Alley during her official visit to China, which runs from March 22 to 25.

Alley was a New Zealand-born writer, social reformer and educator, who lived and worked in China for 60 years before he died in 1987 in Beijing. He led the way in opening the door for New Zealand-China diplomatic ties.

Born 126 years ago in the South Island of New Zealand, Alley arrived in China in 1927 and worked together with Chinese people for 60 years in the course of liberation and construction of the new China.

A prolific writer and poet who enabled the rest of the world to better understand China in the 20th century, Alley initiated the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (Gung Ho) and established the Bailie Vocational Institute.

In a speech delivered at the event, Mahuta said that visiting the place where Alley lived was "a demonstration of how friendship can lead to diplomatic relations."

"During the period of time that he spent in China, he dedicated his life to supporting the things that we would hope friends would do, making sure that young people had an opportunity to learn about it," Mahuta noted.

"The unveiling of the statue is an endorsement that there are strong and enduring people-to-people - and cultural - links," she said.

"Alley had a deep passion for the people here," Mahuta noted, adding that he had a big impact on the lives of many young people. Both countries value Alley's outstanding contribution, she said.

Lin Songtian, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said that Alley was not only a pioneer and witness of China-New Zealand friendship, but also an active participant and contributor to China's development in the past century.

"Alley lived at the site of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries for nearly 30 years. This was his home in China. We are always proud of Alley and regard him as the most noble example to learn from. He inspired us to be committed to promoting mutual understanding between Chinese and foreign people," said Lin.