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Asian migrants build "super diversity" in New Zealand's biggest city: report

Xinhua, March 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

The New Zealand government welcomed a report out Tuesday that shows Asian immigration has turned Auckland into one of the world's "super-diverse cities."

The report from the Asia New Zealand Foundation detailed the history and trends of Asian migration to New Zealand's most populous city, especially since 2006.

Author Wardlow Friesen, senior lecturer in geography at the University of Auckland, said immigration policy changes since the 1990s had resulted in more migrants entering New Zealand as international students or on work visas.

This had created more diverse Asian populations in terms of age, sex, education and skills and had led to an increase in Filipino and Indian migrants in particular, while the median age of Auckland's Asian population was lower than that of the total population.

Asia New Zealand Foundation's Director of Research Andrew Butcher said Auckland had become known as one of world's super- diverse cities.

"This report shows that this diversity is true not only of Auckland, but of the city's Asian population itself," Butcher said in a statement.

"New Zealand's Asian population is expected to increase in upcoming decades, and two-thirds of this population is expected to live in Auckland. While new migrants are often the focus of attention, a significant proportion of future growth in the Asian population will come from people born in New Zealand."

Minister for Ethnic Communities Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga said the report detailed the overwhelmingly positive influence of the increasing Asian population on Auckland.

The description of a "super-diverse" city ushered in an exciting new era for the city, Lotu-Iiga said in a statement.

"From the fine food, colorful festivals and the arts, our Asian communities are a welcome addition to our cultural landscape. They bring color, culture and diversity to our city," he said.

An estimated 1.5 million of New Zealand's 4.4 million population lived in Auckland last year. Endi