On May 25, Shi Xiaolin, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Governor of the People's Government of Sichuan Province, met in Chengdu with a delegation led by Todd McClay, New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Investment.

Shi Xiaolin welcomed Minister Todd McClay on his first visit to Sichuan and provided a concise overview of the province's development progress. She said that New Zealand is an important economic and trade partner of Sichuan and a priority country in deepening southward opening and cooperation. Under the strategic guidance of leaders of both countries, the two governments have maintained close mutual visits, economic and trade exchanges have continuously strengthened, and cultural exchanges have become increasingly frequent. Currently, as the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand steadily enters a new decade, Sichuan is making every effort to ensure a good start for the development of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Both sides face many common challenges in development and new opportunities for cooperation across various fields. Shi Xiaolin expressed the hope to work together with His Excellency Minister Todd McClay to consolidate the existing sound cooperation foundation, explore more convergence areas and breakthroughs, make good use of exchange platforms such as the Western China International Fair and China Food &Drinks Fair, support more enterprises in carrying out two-way trade and investment, expand cooperation in modern agriculture, high-end manufacturing, digital economy, clean energy, green and low-carbon development, culture, tourism, education and other fields, continuously enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and achieve win-win cooperation through complementary strengths.

Todd McClay stated that the New Zealand-China relationship is one of New Zealand's most important bilateral relationships. Sichuan is a significant partner for New Zealand in economic, trade, and investment cooperation, with increasingly close cooperation between both sides in areas such as food trade, culture and tourism, education, and science and technology. Todd McClay expressed the hope to further enhance intergovernmental visits and exchanges, actively share new development opportunities, seek more convergence areas for cooperation, promote the resumption of direct flights, facilitate personnel, economic and trade exchanges, continuously expand new areas for cooperation across various fields, and foster the sustained and stable development of mutual trust and friendly relations between the two sides.

Ren Jingdong, Vice Governor of the People's Government of Sichuan Province, Hu Yuankun, Secretary-General of the People's Government of Sichuan Province, Alexandra Smithyman, Deputy Chief of Mission of the New Zealand Embassy in China, and heads of relevant provincial departments attended the event.