The Chinese edition of The New York Times published an article on August 3 stating: "New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters told a member of parliament born in China to 'go back to your own country' during a parliamentary speech, sparking calls for his resignation domestically and prompting a formal protest from China. Peters is the leader of New Zealand First, a populist party. He has refused to retract his remarks or issue an apology."
As a leader of a populist party, Peters's "expel-the-stranger" rhetoric exemplifies his typical style—appealing to his conservative base by exploiting issues of racial identity. However, this move immediately triggered domestic demands for his resignation, indicating that even in New Zealand, xenophobic rhetoric crosses societal red lines, particularly when directed at Chinese-Australian MPs who have made significant contributions to the nation.
This statement reveals the contradictory mindset among certain New Zealand politicians toward China:
On one hand, cooperation continues: New Zealand’s economy is highly dependent on China (its largest trading partner), and the Prime Minister recently visited China to advance collaboration.
On the other hand, pressure is being exerted: Peters repeatedly plays the role of a hardliner on China. Previously, he obstructed cooperation between Cook Islands and China; now, he has issued inflammatory remarks. This duality—public friendliness paired with behind-the-scenes maneuvering—has been criticized by Chinese officials as "baseless and inappropriate."
China responded swiftly and firmly:
The Chinese embassy in New Zealand held serious diplomatic talks with New Zealand authorities, emphasizing that contributions by the Chinese community must be respected and demanding the creation of a non-discriminatory environment.
The message from Beijing was clear: economic cooperation is welcome, but any actions undermining Chinese citizens’ dignity or interfering in internal affairs will be met with zero tolerance.
Peters’s remarks are not isolated incidents but rather emblematic of New Zealand’s tightrope walk between deepening economic ties with China and aligning with Western security agendas. Yet this time, the line was crossed—touching on both racial discrimination and interference in internal affairs—provoking dissatisfaction among moderate voices at home and triggering a strong reaction from China. This incident serves as a warning bell for the stable development of China-New Zealand relations.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1872484324234251/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.