Recently exposed by New Zealand media, the Chinese Ambassador sent a direct letter criticizing New Zealand Parliament members who attended Taiwan’s National Day reception. New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, along with several current and former parliament members, countered China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy and accused it of interfering in New Zealand’s internal affairs and engaging in espionage. They expressed their determination to uphold New Zealand’s sovereignty and continue supporting Taiwan.
According to a report by The Post on November 4, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated that Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiaolong’s criticism of New Zealand Parliament members attending Taiwan’s National Day event was a “mistake,” and he would be willing to educate Wang Xiaolong on what “democracy” means.
The largest news website in New Zealand, Stuff, revealed a letter from Ambassador Wang Xiaolong to multiple New Zealand Parliament members the previous week, in which he strongly criticized their attendance at the National Day reception hosted by Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Wellington.
In the letter, Wang Xiaolong stated that the MPs’ actions should align with the country’s foreign policy, and their participation in the National Day event was “unacceptable” as it could “disrupt” New Zealand’s relationship with China.
Peters responded on the 4th, saying that Wang Xiaolong’s letters were “a mistake that should not have been made,” and the MPs’ attendance at Taiwan events did not violate New Zealand’s foreign policy. He emphasized that their responsibility as MPs is to their constituents and democratic principles.
Furthermore, Peters mentioned that he would take the opportunity to explain to Wang Xiaolong the “essence of democracy”, noting Wang Xiaolong’s shallow understanding of democracy and emphasizing the need for a more profound comprehension.
The Director of the Taiwan Chinese Democracy Academy, Zeng Jianyuan, stated that, in essence, democratic politics is about governance according to the will of the people. The political judgments and choices made by these parliament members will reflect the direction of public opinion.
Attendance at the National Day event in October and delivering speeches were bipartisan New Zealand Parliament members, including members from all three ruling parties – the National Party, the Labour Party, and the New Zealand First Party – as well as members from the opposition Labour Party.
Zeng Jianyuan expressed that China is concerned with New Zealand’s increasing public support for Taiwan. As Taiwan stands as the frontline of democratic countries, this position will further solidify, making China’s goal of annexing Taiwan increasingly remote, which, in turn, challenges China’s legitimacy in domestic governance.
Former Beijing lawyer and Chair of the Alliance Canada, Lai Jianping, stated that in democratic countries, both parliament members and ordinary citizens have the freedom to express their political views and may or may not align with government policies on internal and foreign affairs.
Lai Jianping pointed out that China’s “wolf warrior diplomacy” is a form of “hegemonic behavior”, where they assess the world from a domineering standpoint and oppress others with force without restraint.
He remarked that officials like Wang Xiaolong, who have been immersed in China’s authoritarian system for decades, lack an understanding of Western democratic principles, displaying a narrow and misguided view. Their authoritarian mindset hinders them from grasping the essence and value of democracy, leading them to evaluate the world based on their autocratic regime, which is a pitiful situation.
In a report by Stuff on November 3, Laura McClure, a member of the New Zealand Labour Party, who attended the National Day event, expressed dissatisfaction with China’s attempt to control New Zealand’s elected representatives.
She emphasized that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has no authority to dictate with whom New Zealand’s parliament members meet. The parliament holds sovereignty, and under New Zealand’s democratic system, MPs are free to exercise their judgment.
McClure is also a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a group comprising lawmakers from various countries aimed at monitoring China’s influence in democratic nations.
Zeng Jianyuan told The Post that Wang Xiaolong “harmed New Zealand’s national dignity, disregarded the status of parliament members as representatives of public opinion, and disrespected New Zealand’s internal affairs.”
Lai Jianping straightforwardly stated that Wang Xiaolong’s conduct was essentially a form of intimidation towards New Zealand parliament members, constituting an encroachment on New Zealand’s sovereignty and internal affairs.
Two other IPAC members, former New Zealand parliament members Louisa Wall and Simon O’Connor, criticized Wang Xiaolong’s letter in a piece published in The Post on November 4, highlighting that it exposed China’s extensive external propaganda and interference.
They mentioned that a foreign government dictating to our parliament members whom they can meet with or what events they can attend does not constitute diplomacy but rather external propaganda and interference.
They argued that the letter was not a regular diplomatic correspondence but an attempt to intimidate members of various parties to prevent them from acknowledging Taiwan’s democratic achievements. The tone and targeting of this letter raised serious questions about the extent of foreign influence on New Zealand’s political discourse.
Taiwan’s representative in New Zealand, Madam Ou Jiang’an, informed The Post that Wang Xiaolong’s behavior, harassing parliament members, once again manifested China’s unwarranted interference in New Zealand.
She stated that the continuous intimidation and coercion displayed by the CCP towards other countries engaging with Taiwan reflect their insecurity and internal apprehensions, not just their bully diplomacy tactics.
Zeng Jianyuan stressed that China’s diplomacy is not genuine but rather a form of “domestic political statement-making.” He commented on China’s relentless wolf warrior diplomacy as a means to resist the tide of public opinion, which, in a way, reflects their pessimistic view regarding the maintenance of the party-state system internally.
According to Stuff, Wang Xiaolong’s letters were solely sent to parliament members who personally attended the National Day event, indicating CCP’s collection of information during pro-Taiwan events in New Zealand.
Louisa Wall and Simon O’Connor highlighted in their article that this incident was not isolated but part of the broader and coordinated global strategy of the Chinese Communist Party aimed at influencing political discourse in democratic countries. They cited cases worldwide where China utilized surveillance, intimidation, and disinformation to manipulate decision-making, suppress criticism, and stifle debate.
Lai Jianping mentioned that China dispatches diplomats globally, many of whom serve as spies collecting various political and economic intelligence from different nations, including statements made by important government officials and parliament members. This spy role is undoubtedly one of the fundamental functions of their diplomatic missions abroad, violating international law.
Wall and O’Connor asked, “Who monitored the attendance? Who reported the situation? New Zealanders have the right to know if foreign forces are monitoring citizens and elected representatives at public events.”
In a warning, they expressed that democracy is facing attacks of fear and covert threats, stressing that New Zealand must be vigilant in defending its institutional framework.
The former parliament members believed that New Zealand should not succumb to intimidation but continue supporting Taiwan. Standing with Taiwan means supporting the values defining New Zealand: independence, dignity, and freedom of choice.