In a recent appeal, China has called on certain individuals in New Zealand to refrain from turning China into a topic for domestic political maneuvering. This request follows comments made by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters during a parliamentary debate, which involved a lawmaker of Chinese descent from the opposition.
Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, emphasized China’s stance of respecting the developmental choices of all nations while firmly opposing any form of discrimination and prejudice. She urged for efforts that would promote bilateral friendship and mutual respect between the two countries.
In response to the incident, China has taken diplomatic measures to express its concerns. The Chinese embassy in New Zealand has officially communicated with New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, lodging formal diplomatic representations on the matter.