Beijing has imposed travel bans on four New Zealand MPs for visiting Taiwan in early May, barring them from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.
New Zealand's Foreign Ministry said this is the first time China has imposed such a ban on its MPs. The lawmakers are National MP Maureen Pugh, NZ First MP David Wilson, ACT MP Laura McClure and Labour MP Duncan Webb. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday that the MPs disregarded concerns and violated the one-China principle by visiting Taiwan. The embassy said the trip sent wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has instructed officials to discuss the matter with Chinese authorities. Laura McClure said she would not apologise and called it foreign interference. Both governments plan to lodge formal protests.
