Winston Peters in racism row with Chinese envoy

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in a racism row after telling China-born Green Party lawmaker Lawrence Xu-Nan to “go back to your own country” and rejecting criticism from Chinese ambassador Wang Xiaolong.

During a Wednesday debate on New Zealand's response to the Covid pandemic, Xu-Nan asked Peters: “Are you vaccinated?” Peters replied that Xu-Nan, who was born in Tianjin and grew up in Auckland, had “come here five minutes ago”.

“Go back to your own country,” Peters said. “This is called a democracy, unlike what you're used to. Go back to where you've come from, you loudmouth.”

Wang wrote on X on Thursday that he preferred to stay out of New Zealand domestic politics, but added that “sometimes, a statement says more about the person that makes it than anything or anybody else”.

Peters, leader of NZ First, responded on X that Wang's comments had “proven my point”. He said New Zealand was a democracy with free speech and rights, and criticised “pearl clutchers” and “communist shills” who labelled his remarks dangerous.

Peters and NZ First have previously faced criticism over racist comments. Earlier this year, NZ First deputy Shane Jones criticised New Zealand's free trade deal with India as risking a “butter chicken tsunami”. Last year, Peters and Jones were forced to back down after Jones yelled “send the Mexicans home” at MP Francisco Hernandez during a debate. Hernandez was born in the Philippines. Peters later told Hernandez and Xu-Nan to “show some gratitude” for being in New Zealand.