Winston Peters tells Chinese-born MP to ‘go back to your own country’, sparks global backlash
Foreign Minister Winston Peters told Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan to return to his own country in parliament, drawing condemnation from across the political spectrum and China.
During a parliamentary exchange on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Winston Peters told Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan, who has lived in New Zealand since the 1990s, to "go back to your own country" and made comments comparing the country to his origin nation. The remarks drew swift criticism from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who called them attention-seeking, and from other MPs who called for Peters' removal from cabinet. The Chinese embassy lodged a formal complaint with New Zealand's Foreign Affairs ministry, while international media outlets including Reuters, AFP and Al Jazeera picked up the story, giving it global prominence.
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What outlets are saying
Otago Daily Times
Winston Peters ‘inviting a sacking’ with attack on Chinese-born MP, Helen Clark says
The Spinoff
Winston Peters’ comments to Lawrence Xu-Nan make headlines around the world
The parliamentary attack was picked up in countless outlets, while China declared ‘a test of the country’s political culture and democratic values’. Winston Peters has travelled the globe with energy and purpose across his term as foreign minister, but in…
RNZ
Winston Peters 'inviting a sacking' with attack on Chinese-born MP, Helen Clark says
The foreign minister telling Lawrence Xu-Nan to "go back to your own country" sends a bad message to migrants and our biggest trading partner.
1News
Peters 'inviting a sacking' with attack on Chinese-born MP – Helen Clark
The Foreign Minister telling Lawrence Xu-Nan to "go back to your own country" sends a bad message to migrants and our biggest trading partner.
Stuff
‘Absolutely inexcusable’: Don Brash calls for Winston Peters’ sacking over China comments
“I think the Prime Minister should sack him as Minister of Foreign Affairs,” Don Brash told Stuff.