Peters: No regrets over China warning
China has heavily criticised New Zealand’s support of Taiwan joining the World Health Organisation, saying the ‘‘erroneous remarks’’ could damage relations between the countries.
But New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he’s not concerned an escalating war of words will damage relations, and he doesn’t regret telling the Chinese ambassador she needed to ‘‘listen to her master’’.
China foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Monday that China ‘‘deplores and opposes’’ New Zealand’s position, and ‘‘no one should entertain any illusion when it comes to matters concerning China’s core interests’’.
‘‘We hope that certain people in New Zealand will stop spreading rumours and creating trouble and work to enhance instead of undermining bilateral mutual trust and cooperation,’’ Zhao said.
Peters said on Thursday that Taiwan had been a ‘‘standout world success story on Covid-19’’, and New Zealand had joined others in asking for the island nation to be added to World Health Organisation (WHO) as an observer. Support for Taiwan entering the WHO has angered China, which believes Taiwan lacks sovereignty and is part of China’s territory.
Beijing refuses diplomatic relations with countries that consider Taiwan a sovereign nation, part of a strategy called the ‘‘oneChina policy’’.
Zhao said the one-China policy ‘‘must be observed’’, and claimed Taiwan was using the outbreak to seek independence.
‘‘The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-New Zealand relations ... China urges New Zealand to strictly abide by the one-China principle and immediately stop its wrong actions on Taiwan-related issues to avoid damaging bilateral relations.’’
Zhao appeared to contradict a claim from Peters that discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had given him confidence there would be no pushback. ‘‘I wonder how he came to that assumption? I want to point out that China is committed to developing friendly cooperative relations with New Zealand based on mutual respect and equality. But we are firmly resolved to uphold our sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.’’
Peters said yesterday New Zealand had a responsibility ‘to our neighbours and, dare I say it, to humanity’’. ‘‘We’ve got to stand up for ourselves ... All we are saying is, having looked very carefully around the world, to find examples of how we might help internationally and locally our defeat of Covid-19, Taiwan has been a standout society.’’