The Chinese embassy has lodged a rare official complaint against New Zealand’s foreign minister after his “racist” remarks towards a Chinese-descent lawmaker.
The complaint, filed with New Zealand’s foreign ministry on Thursday, July 30, accused top diplomat Winston Peters of making “negative China-related remarks” after he told Green Party member Lawrence Xu-Nan to “go back to your own country.”
Parliament clash
The heated exchange happened during a debate regarding New Zealand’s COVID-19 pandemic response, when Xu-Nan asked populist NZ First leader Peters, “Are you vaccinated?”
Peters retorted that the lawmaker, who was raised in New Zealand but was born in the Chinese city of Tianjin, had “come here five minutes ago.”
“Go back to your own country. That’s where they lie like a flatfish, but they don’t lie like that here,” Peters said, as reported by Agence France-Presse.
The comments prompted a rare intervention from the Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, Wang Xiaolong, who said he generally avoids involvement in domestic politics.
“We have absolutely no interest in being dragged into the domestic politics of other countries. Suffice it to say, sometimes, a statement says more about the person that makes it than anything or anybody else,” he wrote on his X account.
The Chinese embassy urged New Zealand to value its equal and mutually beneficial relationship with China.
It also called on Wellington to take steps that would strengthen bilateral ties rather than undermine them.
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Parties call for Peters’ dismissal
Despite the complaint, Peters stood by his remarks.
“We live in a democracy that includes free speech and rights – those two values that other certain countries not only limit, but do so with force,” he said on X.
“If that offends the pearl clutchers and the communist shills labelling it as ‘dangerous’ – welcome to New Zealand.”
The comments caused further backlash, with New Zealand’s Labour and Green parties calling for him to be fired as foreign minister.
“Those comments are so incredibly racist and offensive, and you cannot make those types of comments as a minister, as a Cabinet minister, but particularly as the Minister for Foreign Affairs,” Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni said, as quoted by the country’s 1News.
PM condemns ‘attention-seeking’ comments
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has also denounced Peters’ “inappropriate attention-seeking” remarks.
Luxon’s National Party is in a coalition with NZ First.
“Winston Peters has a long track record of inappropriate attention-seeking comments designed to get the media and other politicians to talk about him instead of the issues Kiwis are facing. This is another example of that,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by Radio New Zealand.
Peters already sparked controversy last year when he and his deputy, Shane Jones, had to retreat from their remarks after Jones shouted “send the Mexicans home” at parliament member Francisco Hernandez during a debate.
Hernandez was born in the Philippines.
Jones also criticised New Zealand’s free trade deal with India earlier this year, claiming that it risked triggering a “butter chicken tsunami.”
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China’s response
Asked about Peters’ remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that parliamentary debates in New Zealand are the country’s internal affairs and that China would not comment on them.
“We have noted that people from various sectors in New Zealand, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, have criticised the remarks made by the individual you mentioned,” she said.
“China respects the development paths, systems and models independently chosen by the people of all countries and opposes all forms of discrimination and prejudice.
“It is hoped that relevant individual in New Zealand will do more things that contribute to the friendship between our two countries, and refrain from making China an issue in domestic politics.”
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Carmela Calling 
James Mario Ajero