Australia and New Zealand will both lodge protests with China after Beijing slapped an unprecedented travel ban on four MPs from New Zealand who visited Taiwan last month.
The National Party’s Maureen Pugh, Labour’s Duncan Webb, NZ First’s David Wilson and ACT’s Laura McClure all visited the democratically ruled island in May as part of a cross-parliamentary group which makes regular trips to Taiwan.
China’s embassy in Wellington did not initially condemn the trip but late yesterday news broke that it had lodged complaints with New Zealand’s parliament.
The clerk of New Zealand’s parliament said Chinese diplomats told them the four MPs would now be denied entry to China, Hong Kong and Macau for a year.
They reportedly said the travel ban could be reduced or dropped if the MPs issued an apology.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he was “surprised” by the move, with one politician accusing Beijing of intimidation.
A spokesperson for Mr Peters said New Zealand MPs had visited Taiwan for “decades” with the visits consistent with the country’s One China policy.
Under the policy New Zealand acknowledges Beijing’s view as the sole government of China but maintains unofficial trade and cultural ties with Taipei.
Taiwan ranks as New Zealand’s eighth biggest export market while China is its largest trading partner.
“In the context of that long history the minister was surprised to learn that China has taken a decision to, for the first time, impose travel bans on New Zealand MPs as a result of travel to Taiwan,” the spokesperson said.
“He has instructed MFAT officials in Beijing and Wellington to discuss this matter with the Chinese system in order to express concern at this departure from past practice and to better understand it.”
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australian officials would also make representations to China on the apparent ban and said Australia was “concerned” by the move.
“Australian officials will also make representations on this, both in Beijing and Canberra, including our view that placing pressure on parliamentarians is not appropriate,” Senator Wong said.
“We agree with the principle expressed by New Zealand that members of parliament, including the Australian parliament, are free to make their own decisions about travel.”
One of the affected MPs, Laura McClure, told New Zealand media the ban was “concerning” and “unsettling”, noting that Taiwan was an important trading partner of New Zealand.
“I think it is an intimidation tactic, or a deterrent, to try and put off other or future members of parliament from travelling to Taiwan,” Ms McClure said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade also said the visits were part of a “longstanding practice of New Zealand members of parliament”.
“In the New Zealand constitutional system, members of parliament do not represent the government,” it said.
“They are independent and responsible to their constituents.
“It is up to MPs to make individual decisions about how they respond to invitations to travel in their capacity as MPs.”
China’s move a ‘clear signal’
China’s travel ban appears to be largely unprecedented, certainly in Australia and New Zealand, and potentially globally as well.
Beijing has sanctioned other foreign politicians before because they have visited Taiwan.
They have either been politicians who have made repeat visits like Japan’s Keiji Furuya, or those who occupy a more senior position like Michael McCaul, the then-chairman of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee in 2023.
A bipartisan delegation of Australian MPs visited Taiwan just six weeks ago.
DFAT officials confirmed they had not been sanctioned by China.
The ABC contacted Coalition frontbencher Dan Tehan and Labor Senator Carol Brown, who led the Australian delegation. Mr Tehan’s office did not return the call and Senator Brown declined to comment.
In a statement, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the ban.
“The Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to one another, and interactions with international friends are a normal right of both sides, and one in which China has no right to interfere,” it said.
“China’s coercive pressure actions will only serve to highlight its high-handed and unreasonable behaviour, as well as the fact that growing numbers of international friends are engaging with and supporting Taiwan.”
The Chinese embassy in Wellington said in a statement the MPs had “wilfully travelled to China’s Taiwan region” and their visit had “caused severe political damage” by sending a “wrong signal” to Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
“Anyone who crosses the line on the Taiwan question will pay a price,” the statement said.
Dr Roger Huang, a Taiwan expert at Macquarie University, said the move marked an escalation in Beijing’s approach with the US distracted by the Iran war and the upcoming midterm elections.
“New Zealand happened to land at exactly the right moment for Beijing,” he said.
“What makes this case particular is that it involved a relatively routine parliamentary exchange, which means Beijing has effectively lowered its red line by another notch.
“It sends a clear signal to parliamentarians in other countries: think twice before your next visit to Taiwan.”
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor called China’s move “disgraceful”.
“I think it’s reasonable to seek reassurance from the government that it won’t happen here,” Mr Taylor said.
