On September 25, Acting Consul-General Wang Hongsun was invited to visit the Clare Valley to inaugurate its first China-themed fashion exhibition. Mayor Allan Aughey, along with representatives from local government, business, academia, and members of the public, attended the event.

（Mayor Aughey Welcomes Acting Consul-General Wang Hongsun）

In his remarks, Acting Consul-General Wang Hongsun said that today is China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, a wonderful occasion for communities to gather and families to reunite, symbolizing harmony and fulfillment. He extended festive greetings and best wishes to the guests from the Clare Valley attending the event, and took the opportunity to convey holiday greetings and warm wishes to all Chinese compatriots working, studying, and living in South Australia. He wished everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Acting Consul-General Wang Hongsun noted that although today is a public holiday in China, he and his colleagues had traveled a long distance to the Clare Valley specifically to express their appreciation and support for the district's first China-themed fashion exhibition. Fashion is a snapshot of the times and an engaging window through which China and Australia can deepen mutual understanding. He was pleased to see students from South Australian institutions actively exploring Chinese culture by creating fashion artworks that combine classic Chinese aesthetic elements, modern production techniques, and distinctive South Australian wool fabrics, expressing their understanding of China and Chinese culture while allowing more people in both countries to appreciate the beauty of the fusion of Chinese and Western civilizations. Every piece was a delight to behold.

Acting Consul-General Wang Hongsun said that Chinese civilization has endured continuously for thousands of years, thriving through openness and inclusiveness while making significant contributions to the development of world civilization. Today's China remains committed to preserving its outstanding traditions while pursuing high-level opening up and actively promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. In 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping solemnly proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, providing direction for the harmonious coexistence of different civilizations. As an important measure to implement this initiative, the United Nations established the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, which has received broad recognition and welcome from the international community.

Acting Consul-General Wang Hongsun said that one flower blooming alone does not make spring; only when all flowers bloom together does spring fill the garden. The world's civilizations are rich and diverse, deserving to be seen and appreciated by one another. China and Australia differ in history, culture, social systems, and development paths, making it essential for the two countries to continue strengthening exchanges and enhancing mutual understanding and recognition. China is willing to work with Australia to actively advocate respect for the diversity of world civilizations, promote the common values of humanity, advance the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and use fashion and artistic interaction as a bond to deepen cultural exchanges and mutual learning between the two countries, thereby making a positive contribution to strengthening the cultural foundation for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

In his remarks, Mayor Aughey thanked the Chinese side for traveling from afar, praised China's profound ancient civilization and its remarkable achievements in economic and social development, and strongly agreed that the peoples of Australia and China should understand and appreciate each other. He emphasized that this fashion event had built a bridge for the peoples of China and South Australia to deepen mutual understanding and friendship, and expressed hope for continued cultural exchange and cooperation with China in the future.

After the event, Acting Consul-General Wang Hongsun visited local Chinese company to learn about their operations, and extended Mid-Autumn Festival greetings to the employees. Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chinese Consulate General in Adelaide extended holiday greetings in various ways to other Chinese institutions in South Australia, Chinese companies, Chinese language teachers, and Chinese workers.