A customer (L) asks about the Year of the Dragon stamps for sale on the Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day in Auckland, New Zealand, Feb. 3, 2024. The Auckland Showgrounds burst forth with color and festivity on Saturday with the opening of the Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day, a signature event that has become a long-cherished tradition for various communities in New Zealand. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

The Auckland Showgrounds burst forth with color and festivity on Saturday with the opening of the Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day, a signature event that has become a long-cherished tradition for various communities in New Zealand.

The crowd erupted in applause when New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiaolong dotted the lion's eyes together, an important ritual to start the celebrations.

The lion was then awakened and danced imminently. It leapt, twisted, and blessed the market stalls, scattering fortune and laughter.

In his speech, Luxon wished everyone a happy Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 10.

"Every Lunar New Year is a great hope and great promise. It is time for families and friends to get together. This new year is even more exciting when it passes from the year of Rabbit to the year of Dragon. The year of Dragon is associated with positive energy, leadership, honor, luck and success," said Luxon.

"It is great to be here today celebrating not only the New Year but also the vibrant Chinese community. They have contributed so much to this great city of Auckland but also to wider New Zealand," the prime minister said.

Chinese Ambassador Wang said close people-to-people relations have been a unique asset of China-New Zealand ties.

"People of Chinese descent is one of the largest expat communities in New Zealand. Having contributed to economic and social development as well as ethnic and cultural diversity here, they also serve as an important bridge for China-New Zealand friendship," Wang said.

The ambassador also noted that 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand, which is yet another major milestone in bilateral relations.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's multilingual blessing won applause from the audience. "I am proud to be the mayor of Auckland. Wishing everyone a happy New Year and a joyful Year of the Dragon," said the mayor in Mandarin.

The indoor market featured cultural performances by artists from home and abroad and stalls supported by government agencies, non-government organizations (NGO)s, community groups and commercial entities. Peking Opera, Wudang Kungfu and Hubei folk songs, dances and musical instruments attracted hundreds of spectators. It is also the first year the Chinese embassy set up stalls promoting information about bilateral economic cooperation, culture and tourism, education and cultural exchanges.

Kiwi girl Maylee Cordelle, in Chinese traditional costumes, learnt paper cutting onsite. She finally succeeded in cutting a bunny under the guidance of Cao Xiaoqin, a paper-cutting expert from China.

Maylee and her three friends were all dressed in China's traditional Han clothing. She said they bought these costumes from China a couple of years ago, and they've always dressed in Chinese costumes during each year's Chinese New Year activities as their own way of celebration.

Agencies such as the New Zealand Police, New Zealand Post, Tertiary Education Commission, and the Te Whetu Ora Te Toka Yumai (Health New Zealand-Auckland) actively participated in the market day, promoting public services information.

The outdoor is a bustling food street with mouthwatering traditional and modern street foods. People are indulging themselves in a sea of delicacies such as bubble teas and candy floss, dumplings and buns, lamb kebabs, and fried seafood, as well as Malaysian cuisine, Thai food and Korean food.