China Sanctions New Zealand MPs Over Taiwan Visit
China has imposed a one-year travel ban on four New Zealand lawmakers after they recently visited Taiwan as part of a bipartisan parliamentary delegation. Beijing has barred the MPs from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, prompting criticism from both Wellington and Taipei.
China Imposes Sanctions on New Zealand Lawmakers Over Taiwan Visit
REPORTER:
A year-long ban on entering China, all because of a visit to Taiwan. That’s what four New Zealand lawmakers are currently facing after they led a bipartisan delegation to Taipei last month.
REPORTER:
The New Zealand Herald reported that China’s embassy in New Zealand notified parliament that the four lawmakers had been banned from entering China, Hong Kong, or Macau. The four are members of New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan and had visited Taiwan for five days in May. They say this trip is consistent with previous visits.
REPORTER:
One of the MPs, Laura McClure, said in a Facebook post that she has “absolutely no regrets” about visiting Taiwan and members of parliament “do not take instructions from foreign governments.” In an interview with a local New Zealand outlet, she called China’s move an intimidation tactic to discourage engagement with Taiwan.
REPORTER:
In a statement, New Zealand’s foreign ministry said these visits are not “inconsistent” with the country’s One-China policy, and that the minister was “surprised” to hear of China’s decision. The ministry says lawmakers have visited Taiwan many times despite its policy since 1972 of recognizing Beijing as the sole government of China.
REPORTER:
Taiwan’s foreign ministry is condemning the sanctions.
Hsiao Kuang-wei (FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON):
Parliamentary diplomacy is a normal way for democracies to enhance mutual understanding and strengthen cooperation, in line with democratic principles and international practice. The foreign ministry urges China to stop pressuring and interfering with exchanges between Taiwan and elected legislators from other countries.
REPORTER:
The Chinese embassy in New Zealand says the sanctions could be waived or reduced if the lawmakers apologized for the trip. This is not the first time China has sanctioned foreign officials for holding pro-Taiwan stances, but it is the first such case in New Zealand.
REPORTER:
But with at least one of the sanctioned lawmakers saying she refuses to apologize for visiting Taiwan, China’s decision could continue to stoke tensions between Wellington and Beijing.
