WELLINGTON, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- An event celebrating the Chinese New Year was held at the New Zealand parliament on Tuesday.

"Chinese New Year is celebrated around the globe wherever Chinese people have settled and started communities and it's no different here in Aotearoa (New Zealand)," said Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa who hosted the event.

Guest speakers of the event included New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Political Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy Qu Guangzhou.

Chinese New Zealanders account for 4 percent of New Zealand's total population and are the third largest ethnic group in New Zealand, Salesa said.

The first Chinese New Year event was celebrated at the parliament in 2002, and has been celebrated annually since then, she said.