A group of New Zealand lawmakers has been subjected to a one-year travel ban from China, Hong Kong, and Macau following their visit to Taiwan in May. This decision has left both the involved politicians and New Zealand’s foreign minister in a state of disbelief, marking an unusual and unprecedented action by Beijing.
In response to this situation, both Australia and New Zealand are preparing to formally protest China’s decision. The travel ban affects four MPs from different political parties: Maureen Pugh from the National Party, Labour’s Duncan Webb, David Wilson from NZ First, and Laura McClure from ACT. They were part of a cross-parliamentary delegation that regularly visits Taiwan, a democratically governed island.
Although China has not publicly addressed the visit, reports emerged late Wednesday indicating that the Chinese Embassy had raised objections with New Zealand’s Parliament regarding the trip. The clerk of the Parliament revealed that Chinese diplomats informed them of the travel restrictions imposed on the four MPs, although they suggested that the ban could be reconsidered if the MPs offered an apology.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed his astonishment at this development, with one lawmaker accusing Beijing of using intimidation tactics. A spokesperson for Peters emphasized that New Zealand MPs have maintained a long history of visiting Taiwan, which aligns with the country’s One China policy. Under this policy, New Zealand recognizes Beijing as the sole governing authority of China while preserving unofficial trade and cultural connections with Taipei.
Notably, Taiwan is New Zealand’s eighth-largest export market, while China remains the country’s primary trading partner. The spokesperson for Peters conveyed that the minister was surprised to see China impose such travel restrictions for the first time in response to visits to Taiwan. He has directed officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) in both Beijing and Wellington to engage with Chinese representatives to express their concerns about this shift in policy and to gain further clarity.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong also announced that Australia would raise the issue with China, stating that they find the travel ban concerning. Wong emphasized that it is inappropriate to exert pressure on parliamentarians regarding their travel decisions, aligning with New Zealand’s stance that MPs should have the autonomy to make their travel choices.
MP Laura McClure described the ban as “concerning” and “unsettling,” asserting that Taiwan plays a vital role in New Zealand’s trade landscape. She characterized the ban as a potential intimidation tactic aimed at discouraging future parliamentary visits to Taiwan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade reiterated that such visits have been a longstanding tradition among New Zealand’s lawmakers and highlighted that MPs operate independently within the New Zealand constitutional framework, making decisions based on their constituents’ interests.
This travel ban is regarded as largely unprecedented, especially in the contexts of Australia and New Zealand, and possibly on a global scale. While Beijing has previously sanctioned other foreign politicians for visiting Taiwan, these sanctions targeted either repeat visitors or those in high-ranking positions.
Recently, a bipartisan group of Australian MPs visited Taiwan without facing similar repercussions from China. Although inquiries were made to members of the Australian delegation, responses were not forthcoming. The Chinese embassy in Wellington and Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry have also not provided comments on this matter.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor condemned China’s actions as “disgraceful,” expressing the need for reassurances from the government to prevent similar incidents from occurring in Australia.
