Ambassador takes look at Chinese historic site

China's ambassador to New Zealand, Xu Jianguo (centre), was interested in a close look at New Zealand's mining history, touring the Chinese miners' village in the Kawarau Gorge yesterday in the company of Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean and Auckland MP Jian Yang.

It was an informal visit by Mr Xu and, after spending an hour viewing the historic site and mining equipment at the Goldfields Mining Centre in the gorge, he toured Mt Difficulty vineyard.

Mrs Dean said she was keen to show the men the contribution early Chinese settlers had made to the Central Otago district and also to display the vibrant winegrowing industry, as China was a significant market for Central Otago wine.