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China has imposed a one-year travel ban on four New Zealand Members of Parliament following their visit to Taiwan, in a move Wellington has described as unprecedented and concerning.
The lawmakers were informed of the restriction after returning from the trip in May, according to New Zealand’s foreign ministry. Chinese authorities said the ban could be lifted or reduced if the MPs issued an apology.
The visit has triggered a fresh diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Wellington, as China continues to assert sovereignty over Taiwan, which it regards as part of its territory.
In a statement, a spokesperson for New Zealand’s foreign ministry said the decision had surprised officials, noting that parliamentary visits to Taiwan had long been part of established practice.
“New Zealand MPs have visited Taiwan for decades and such visits are not inconsistent with New Zealand’s One China policy,” the spokesperson said.
China’s embassy in Wellington defended the decision, saying the MPs had ignored “serious concerns” and sent the “wrong signals” by engaging with Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
It accused the lawmakers of interfering in China’s internal affairs, a claim Taiwan and its supporters have repeatedly rejected.
Among those affected are MPs Maureen Pugh, David Wilson, Laura McClure, and opposition Labour Party member Duncan Webb.
McClure described the ban as “a type of foreign interference” and said she would not apologise for the visit, adding that MPs have the right to travel freely.
“I am not going to apologise for visiting Taiwan,” she was quoted as saying, adding she was “quite surprised and shocked” by the move.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has directed officials in Beijing and Wellington to seek clarification on what he called a departure from past diplomatic practice.
New Zealand established formal diplomatic ties with China in 1972 under its One China policy, but has maintained unofficial exchanges with Taiwan, including parliamentary visits and trade engagement.
Erizia Rubyjeana
