China has imposed its first travel bans on New Zealand lawmakers after they visited Taiwan in May. The move is seen as an escalation of Beijing's efforts to isolate Taipei and deter foreign governments from engaging with the self-ruled democracy.
The ban affects four MPs from across the political spectrum who visited Taiwan as part of a cross-party delegation. China stated that the visit sends the wrong signals to Taiwan's ruling party. The travel ban is set to last for one year.
The New Zealand government plans to express concern to Beijing over the decision. A spokesperson stated that the foreign minister was surprised by the one-year ban, noting that lawmakers have visited Taiwan for years without previous issues.