The Chinese Ambassador to Fiji, Zhang Ping, 53, is from the eastern part of China. He took up his posting February last year.  Ambassador Zhang’s thoughts on the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Fire Monkey – celebrated on Monday week, February 8:

What is your Chinese New Year wish?

Firstly I hope that my family will have a very productive year and live a healthy and happy life, secondly I wish the relationship between China and Fiji will grow even stronger and we can have more co-operation projects and people to people exchange so I look forward to Fijians visiting China and Chinese visiting Fiji, so this is a good thing for a mutual understanding for friendship. I also wish my country a well developed, prosperous and stronger year.

What does Chinese New Year mean to you?

This is a big festival in China so usually we have a long seven-day holiday and every member of the family will go to their parent’s home to have a big get together. It’s a festival for family reunion and I think now we can use the holiday to visit our family and friends and it’s a good time to associate with all those who are not living in the same city. You will see lots of food and lots of cultural activities going on. On the Eve of the spring festival there will be a T-show, the Gala festival which will last till midnight is a big treat for all Chinese families. The kids are extremely happy during the holidays, they can light fireworks and they get red envelops of pocket money and new clothes from parents.

We regard the spring festival as the new beginning of the New Year so everything should be new.

What are your goals for the Year of the Monkey?

As Ambassador here I want to achieve further progress for the overall bilateral relationship, we want to see that more projects will be completed and launched so we can contribute to the overall friendship and co-operation with Fiji.

What’s the most interesting thing about you and your culture?

I am from the eastern part of China which is rich in natural agriculture production so we have lots of fresh food, meats and vegetables.

How did you celebrate the festival as a child?

We usually have a family get together on the Eve of New Year, parents will make lots of food, pocket money you and new clothes and fireworks and also watching the Gala celebration on TV. Of course in my days in the 70s there was no Gala celebration on TV it just started in the 1983. Since then we would watch every year.

What traditions do you still keep, and how do you celebrate Chinese New Year today?

Now it’s a tradition that Chinese families will make some dumplings, here in the embassy will have a party amongst us so everyone will try to help to make some dumplings so everyone will have a dinner together.

How will you be celebrating Chinese New Year?

The embassy staff will have an internal gathering on the Eve of the New Year so we will make some dumplings and prepare some food, we will also have some karaoke among ourselves just enjoying the holiday with a five-day break where some colleagues will be travelling within Fiji.

What animal zodiac sign were you born under, and do you think there are similarities between you and your animal sign?

I was born in the Year of the Tiger. To some extend I am similar to my zodiac sign since the tiger is usually very hardworking and physically strong.