China bans New Zealand lawmakers over Taiwan trip
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BEIJING: China has imposed an entry ban on four New Zealand lawmakers following their recent visit to Taiwan, marking the first time such sanctions have been leveled against New Zealand politicians.
The Chinese Embassy in Wellington accused the group comprising Laura McClure, Maureen Pugh, Duncan Webb, and David Wilson of crossing a political red line and interfering in China's domestic affairs.
The travel restrictions bar the parliamentarians from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau for one year, though Chinese officials indicated the ban could be waived if the politicians issue an apology. Beijing asserts that Taiwan has no right to conduct independent foreign relations, viewing all visits by foreign lawmakers as a challenge to its claims of sovereignty.
New Zealand's Foreign Ministry expressed surprise over the departure from past practice, defending the trip as entirely independent of government policy and completely consistent with the nation's decades-long One China policy.
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