During Friday's commemoration near the Port Kembla site where the wharf workers had carried out their protest, participants observed a moment's silence and laid wreaths at the Dalfram Dispute Memorial.
Wang Chunsheng, China's acting consul general in Sydney, said the workers' actions "remain a powerful reminder that friendship and justice can transcend national borders".
"The friendship between China and Australia has been built through countless acts of kindness, mutual respect and support between our peoples," he said.
Wang added that, amid the "profound changes and growing uncertainties" faced by today's world, "standing together and helping one another is not only a testament to the friendship between our two peoples; it is also a shared responsibility".
"Let us carry forward the spirit of those who stood together across oceans nearly nine decades ago … Let us draw strength from friendship, build our future through cooperation, and ensure that the friendship between China and Australia continues to flourish for generations to come," he said.
Paul Scully, New South Wales state minister for planning and public spaces and its member of parliament for Wollongong, said the lesson offered by the event is that "our shared humanity should always win the day".
"We remember that people from all backgrounds understand we can help one another out," he said, adding that in the case of the Dalfram Dispute, members of the local Chinese community provided food and daily supplies to help support the port workers "who they knew were sacrificing themselves in the interest of the people on the other side of the world".
