Winston Peters defends ‘go back’ remark in China row

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters defended his remarks after Chinese ambassador Wang Xiaolong responded to him telling China-born Green Party lawmaker Lawrence Xu-Nan to “go back to your own country”.

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” and told him: “Go back to where you've come from, you loudmouth.”

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

Peters, leader of the populist NZ First party, 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 backed down after Jones yelled “send the Mexicans home” at Mexican-born MP Francisco Hernandez during a debate.