China bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers after their Taiwan trip
Key takeaways
- Beijing says it is barring a group of New Zealand lawmakers from entering China for having visited Taiwan in May.
- China asserts that the self-governing democratic island of Taiwan belongs to it and opposes its participation in any exchanges with other countries.
- The ban comes despite largely positive relations between Wellington and Beijing in recent years.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Beijing says it is barring a group of New Zealand lawmakers from entering China for having visited Taiwan in May. It is the first time such a ban has been imposed on politicians from New Zealand.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Ep RALawmakers Laura Mc Clure, Maureen Pugh, Duncan Webb, and David Wilson pose for a photo at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Image: Taiwan MOFA/AP Photo/picture alliance Advertisement Beijing said on Thursday it was imposing an entry ban on four New Zealand parliamentarians, accusing them of interfering in Chinese domestic affairs by visiting officials in Taiwan in May.
China asserts that the self-governing democratic island of Taiwan belongs to it and opposes its participation in any exchanges with other countries.