As China joyfully celebrates the Year of the Dragon, leaders of Fiji, New Zealand and Australia have all sent their wishes and messages for the Chinese New Year.

Fijian Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka said the dragon symbolizes good fortune, heralding a lunar new year of great promise.

"May this year brings bountiful blessings and opportunities to each and every one of you," Xinhua quoted him in his Chinese New Year's message on Feb 16 published in the Fiji Times.

Fiji enjoys an enduring friendship with China and the Fiji-China relationship will be strengthened in the years ahead, the PM noted in the message.

"I am confident that our partnership will only strengthen and deepen in the years ahead," he added.

Rabuka stressed in the message that China has been a steadfast partner of Fiji. The bilateral relations are guided by shared aspirations and mutual interests, laying the foundation for a comprehensive strategic partnership built on trust and respect.

He noted that over the years, the friendship between Fiji and China has flourished, enriched by people-to-people exchanges, capacity-building initiatives, and cooperation across various sectors including agriculture, education and climate change.

Fiji firmly adheres to the one-China principle, which has served as the cornerstone since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Rabuka mentioned.

"I extend my deepest gratitude to the Chinese government for the invaluable assistance rendered to these crucial sectors of our economy," Rabuka said, adding that he "eagerly" anticipates the further enhancement of Fiji-China relations for the mutual benefit of the two peoples.

For Fiji, the tourism industry is a bread-earner providing jobs to more than 119,000 Fijians and creates over 40 percent of its GDP. Chinese travelers to Fiji from April to July last year have already recovered to 67 percent of their pre-pandemic levels, CGTN reported.

Colin Mackerras, emeritus professor at Griffith University in Australia told China Daily, "I definitely think China and Fiji should maintain their good relations and welcome Rabuka's statement in his Chinese New Year message."

During an earlier event celebrating the Lunar New Year, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that the country has strong, diverse Asian communities that are telling inspiring stories. The event was held at the New Zealand parliament on Feb 12, which has become an annual gathering since 2002.

Wang Xiaolong, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, recalled the progress of the bilateral relations between China and New Zealand, saying this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The annual event has become a time-honored tradition showcasing the way New Zealand values the contribution of the Chinese community and the part of the Chinese culture as a component of the multicultural mosaic in NZ, Wang added.

He believed that the nature of the China-New Zealand relationship is mutually beneficial, its foundation is mutual respect and mutual trust, and its future depends on the mutual efforts from both sides.

On Feb 11, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, "As we celebrate the year of the dragon, I've come to visit one of the oldest processional dragons in Australia. Loong dates back 127 years, and shows the important role Chinese-Australians have played in our national story."

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the PM sent greetings on social media to all who celebrate Chinese New Year in Australia in both Chinese and English.  "This year is the year of Dragon. The dragon symbolizes honor, prosperity and success. And the Year of Dragon is said to bring luck."

WAMN News reported that Albanese had been invited to attend the Lunar Chinese New Year ball in Perth on Feb 19.

Xinhua contributed to this report.