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Summarised by Centrist
Four New Zealand MPs have been barred from entering China, Hong Kong and Macau for one year after taking part in a parliamentary delegation to Taiwan.
The MPs are National’s Maureen Pugh, Labour’s Duncan Webb, ACT’s Laura McClure and NZ First’s David Wilson.
The five-day visit to Taiwan in May was organised through the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan, a cross-party group established in 2023 to promote legislative ties, economic cooperation and people-to-people links between New Zealand and Taiwan.
The ban was communicated to the MPs through the Office of the Clerk following a meeting with officials from the Chinese Embassy in Wellington.
Chinese officials said the four MPs would be denied entry to China, Hong Kong and Macau for one year. The embassy also indicated that if the MPs apologised, the sanctions could be “suspended or cancelled”.
ACT MP Laura McClure said she was surprised by the decision, noting that other New Zealand MPs had previously travelled to Taiwan without facing similar restrictions.
She said the delegation focused on strengthening New Zealand’s economic and cultural relationship with Taiwan, particularly trade links.
New Zealand maintains diplomatic relations with China under the “One China” policy, which recognises Beijing as the government of China. At the same time, New Zealand maintains economic and unofficial ties with Taiwan, which is self-governing and has its own elected government.
China has previously criticised visits by New Zealand MPs to Taiwan, describing them as inconsistent with New Zealand’s commitments under the One China policy.
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