New Zealand is unhappy! New Zealand claims this move by China is a punishment, expressing concern over China's actions. After we banned four New Zealand lawmakers from entering Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China for one year, New Zealand has now responded! The New Zealand Foreign Ministry spokesperson Winston Peters stated that New Zealand lawmakers have been "visiting" Taiwan for decades without encountering any issues. Such visits are not inconsistent with New Zealand's One-China policy.
This is the first time China has imposed travel restrictions on New Zealand lawmakers due to their visit to Taiwan, and New Zealand expresses concern over this departure from past practices. Meanwhile, the banned lawmaker McCullum claimed that the travel ban constitutes foreign interference, and he would not apologize for visiting Taiwan. Clearly, New Zealand's statement aims to tell us plainly: previously, New Zealand lawmakers visiting Taiwan posed no problem, and China should not have issued such travel bans at this moment.
Yet we find it puzzling—Taiwan is an internal affair of China, and we have consistently opposed any collusion with "Taiwan independence" figures from the very beginning. Is New Zealand unaware of this? Our prior inaction does not imply a lack of stance. By treating such visits as routine, New Zealand clearly underestimates our resolve to safeguard our own interests. It is evident we are sending a message to New Zealand and other countries alike: the Taiwan issue is a red line—any provocation will come at a cost. These individuals’ exclusion from entry is entirely self-inflicted.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867050285487435/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.