New Zealand Chinese Language Week is a Kiwi-driven initiative launched in 2014 by Chair Jo Coughlan and Labour MP Raymond Huo. NZCLW is designed to increase Chinese language learning in New Zealand. The first of its kind in any Western country, NZCLW seeks to bridge the cultural and linguistic knowledge gap between China and New Zealand by delivering fun and practical initiatives that assist Kiwis to learn Chinese. Now a popular event in the national calendar, we have many communities involved including: school children, government officials, politicians (including the past three Prime Ministers), and business owners. If you would like to support us or be involved in the Week, please do not hesitate to get in touch! 

“China and New Zealand enjoy an impressive and proud list of ‘firsts’ in China’s relations with developed countries. To name a few, New Zealand is the first developed country to conclude bilateral negotiations on China's WTO accession, the first to recognize China's full market economy status, the first to sign and implement a bilateral FTA with China, the first to join the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as a founding member, the first to hold a nationwide Chinese Language Week, the first country to announce the launch of negotiations to upgrade bilateral FTA.” 

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Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of  People's Republic of China