At the 2026 World Mayors Dialogue underway in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Tania Tapsell, mayor of Rotorua, New Zealand, praised Xi'an's millennia-old heritage for being deeply inspiring. Speaking on Monday, she noted that as Maori culture is among the world's youngest cultures, there is great value in learning from Xi'an's long history. The mayor also expressed hope for building long‑term ties beyond tourism and culture, including future trade. (Produced by Liu Haozhe and intern Wang Zhuoxi)