A New Zealand-born social activist and writer who was a great friend and supporter of the Chinese people was remembered at an event in Changting, Fujian province, on Friday.

Rewi Alley arrived in China in 1927, and came to prominence during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).

He helped to found the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives, an organization that set up small, self-supporting factories to enable the country's industrial sector to recover and develop.

In 1939, he established a branch office of the ICCIC in Changting, described by Alley as "one of the two most beautiful towns in China" - the other one was Fenghuang, Hunan province.

Local official Chen Riyuan, who organized Friday's event, said Nov 28 is Changting's annual historical and cultural day, and this year's celebrations were dedicated to remembering Alley.

A posthumous citizenship was bestowed on the New Zealander, who lived from 1897 to 1987, at the event.

"Alley worked so hard to set up more than 30 factories during his stint in Changting, significantly contributing to providing resources during the war, and his praise of Changting led to more people knowing about the town," he said. "People in Changting will never forget him."

Those attending the event included Jennifer Shipley, a former prime minister of New Zealand, and staff members from the ICCIC. They visited Dingwuling, a mountain where Alley lived and built factories.

They also planted trees, visited traditional houses and watched opera performances.

Shipley echoed Alley's compliment about Changting, praising the mountain town with its lush foliage and well-preserved old buildings.

She urged the local government to hold more cultural activities so that more people learn about Alley and Changting.

"Alley was a dedicated person who our country is so proud of," Shipley said. "He created a bridge between China and New Zealand, and the two countries have built a very successful relationship."

Michael Crook, chairman of the ICCIC, said Alley should not be remembered only for founding the committee.

"As an educator, Alley established many schools to cultivate industrial talent," he said. "The schools are still there across China."

Du Daowen, executive secretary-general of the ICCIC, said that today the ICCIC not only focuses on the development of cooperatives, but also works on international cooperation in a variety of fields such as agriculture and new energy.

Du said the organization will consider cooperating with Changting over environmental protection projects, adding, "The environment is good and should be preserved."

The town announced plans to build a sister-city relationship with Christchurch, where Alley grew up.

President Xi Jinping praised Alley during his recent state visit to New Zealand, calling him "our New Zealand friend" who devoted his whole life to supporting the independence of the Chinese nation and the construction of the country.

Contact the writers at sunli@chinadaily.com.cn and humeidong@chinadaily.com.cn