Felix Chaudhary 
Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhou Jian
The Chinese Embassy in Fiji is gearing up for one of the biggest events on the Chinese calendar – the Spring Festival and traditional Chinese Lunar New Year.
Ambassador Zhou Jian says celebrations will begin with an Overseas Chinese New Year Reception on Friday evening at 6 pm, followed by the Chinese New Year Folklife Festival at Nausori Plaza on Saturday at 10 am.
He said the start of the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year was a joyous occasion where families reunite to ring out the old year and ring in the new.
“Chinese people celebrate by making dumplings, setting off firecrackers, visiting friends and relatives, and putting up couplets written on red paper,” he said.
“According to Chinese zodiac, the year 2025 is the year of the snake, which symbolizes wisdom and luck. I wish everybody a happy new year of the snake with luck, joy and love.”
The Chinese Ambassador also said 2025 was a special year because events would be held to mark the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of China-Fiji diplomatic ties and the 170th Anniversary of Chinese people coming to Fiji.
“It’s such an important milestone, where we can draw wisdom from the past, and create a new 50 years of success and progress for China-Fiji relations. 170 years ago, Chinese people came to Fiji, gradually becoming an integral part of Fiji’s multicultural family. To celebrate both anniversaries, the Embassy will organize a series of events.”
