Christchurch mosque shootings: Teochew Chinese delegates pledge $1.2 million

A Chinese delegation in Auckland for a convention has raised upwards of $1 million for families of the Christchurch mosque attack victims.

A cheque amounting to upwards of $1.2m will be presented to Auckland mayor Phil Goff by a representative from the Teochew delegation at SkyCity this evening.

Goff was invited to attend a dinner of the Heads Meeting of the 20th Convention of Teochew International Federation on Friday, but arrived late because of meetings with the police and Muslim community over the shooting that had taken place earlier in the day.

"When he explained why he was late, the delegates together pledged nearly $500,000 for the victims," a spokeswoman for the mayor said.

"That sum has since grown to $1.2m and could rise higher."

No Chinese national is believed to have been killed or injured in Friday's Christchurch mosque attacks that left 50 people dead.

Goff had been asked to pass the cheque to the Muslim community in Christchurch on behalf of the delegates because he facilitated the donation, the spokeswoman said.

"This is an extraordinarily generous offer to the people of Christchurch and the Muslim community from a small community in New Zealand and the international delegates at their conference," Goff said.

"This is on top of the amazing generosity we have seen from Kiwis all over New Zealand to support the victims of this horrible attack."

Goff said he will receive the cheque from the delegates at SkyCity Convention Centre tonight.