While his body started to let him down as he aged, Rewi’s mind remained sharp and focused. As he aged he had the privilege of seeing a number of his projects, shelved during the Cultural Revolution, restarted and was increasingly accorded recognition for his efforts. At a banquet to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Rewi’s arrival in China, Lindsay Watt New Zealand’s Ambassador, said “What has struck me about today’s celebrations is not that we are celebrating a mere 60 years on this planet, but 60 years, a lifetime in other words, of experience and work dedicated to China and its people, and beyond them, to the cause of world peace and harmony.”
