Chinese Consulate-General, Auckland

The Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland (Chinese: 中华人民共和国驻奥克兰总领事馆; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Zhù Àokèlán Zŏnglĭngshìguān) is a diplomatic mission of the People's Republic of China (PRC) at 630 Great South Road in the Greenlane suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand.[1]

The consulate serves cities in the Auckland Region, Waikato region, and the Northland Region.[2]

History

On 9 May 1991 the People's Republic of China signed the "Agreement on the Establishment of Consulate Generals and the Memorandum on the Consulate Districts of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland and that of New Zealand in Shanghai," which allowed for the establishment of the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland and the Consulate-General of New Zealand in Shanghai and their respective consular districts. New Zealand signed the agreement on 8 June 1992. The Auckland PRC consulate opened in June 1992.[2]

On February 2021 the consulate was affected by a phony bomb threat made by individuals including one with the name of "张卫能 utoyo", on an Auckland area events website Aucklife that they had taken over. Their motive was reportedly a punitive response against China due to COVID-19.[3]

Controversies

30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests

In late July 2019, the media organisation Newsroom reported that the Vice Consul General Xiao Yewen had lobbied Auckland University of Technology (AUT) into cancelling an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Newsroom also reported that the Consulate-General had lobbied AUT and the University of Auckland into dropping the screening of a documentary criticizing the Confucius Institutes in 2018. While AUT went ahead with the screening, the University of Auckland canceled their screening.[4]

2019–20 Hong Kong protests

In early August 2019, the Chinese-Consulate General praised what it deemed the "patriotic actions" of Chinese students who confronted a group of pro-Hong Kong democracy student activists at the University of Auckland, who had set up a Lennon Wall commemorating the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. One of the Chinese students had struck a Hong Kong student during an altercation at the university in late July 2019. The Consulate-General also condemned pro-Hong Kong activists as separatists.[5][6] In response, ACT Party leader David Seymour sent a letter to the Consulate-General criticizing it for interfering in New Zealand internal affairs.[7] On 7 August 2019, it was reported that New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials had cautioned Chinese officials about their interference in New Zealand affairs. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also defended New Zealand's commitment to free speech on university campuses.[8]

In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying defended the Consulate-General's actions as "fulfilling its duty" and being "beyond reproach." Hua also criticized local "Hong Kong independence" activists for stirring up anti-China sentiment and called on certain New Zealanders to stop condoning "anti-China separatism" under the guise of free speech.[9][10]

See also
  • Diplomatic missions of the People's Republic of China

References
  1. "How to Contact Us Archived 2009-03-28 at the Wayback Machine." Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland. Retrieved on 28 January 2009.
  2. "Regions." Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Auckland. 19 November 2003. Retrieved on 28 January 2009.
  3. "Police search Chinese Consulate in Auckland after bomb threat". Stuff. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  4. Walters, Laura (30 July 2019). "AUT scraps Tiananmen Square event". Newsroom. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  5. "Remarks by Spokesperson of Chinese Consulate General in Auckland on Recent Activities related to "Hong Kong Independence" at University of Auckland". Chinese Consulate-General, Auckland. 31 July 2019. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  6. Christian, Harrison (1 August 2019). "Chinese consulate praises students in scuffle at Auckland University". Stuff. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  7. Tan, Lincoln (5 August 2019). "Stop interfering in NZ's internal affairs: Act Party Leader to Chinese Consulate General". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  8. Walters, Laura (7 August 2019). "Govt raises interference concerns with China". Newsroom. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  9. "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Remarks on August 8, 2019". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in New Zealand. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  10. Sachdeva, Sam (9 August 2019). "China hits back over NZ interference concerns". Newsroom. Retrieved 9 August 2019.

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