Prime Minister Christopher Luxon insists the response to China’s sanctioning of Taiwan-visiting MPs lies with New Zealand as Australia calls on its officials over the matter.

It follows Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong saying she was concerned by China’s decision to ban several New Zealand MPs from travelling to China after they visited Taiwan, Wong also committing her officials would raise the matter with Chinese counterparts.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has since instructed officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) to contact their Chinese counterparts to “express concern” at the sanctioning.

Luxon, currently visiting Brisbane for the annual meeting with Australia PM Anthony Albanese, told travelling media he appreciated Wong’s statements but reiterated it was a matter for New Zealand.

“We appreciate the support, but at the end of the day it’s an issue between New Zealand and China.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meets with a Pacific Policing unit member at a base in Brisbane. Photo / Adam Pearse

The diplomatic spat relates to a visit made by Act’s Laura McClure, NZ First’s David Wilson, Labour’s Duncan Webb and National’s Maureen Pugh to Taiwan in May.

On returning, they were told by Parliament’s clerk that the Chinese Embassy had been in touch to say they would be banned from entering China and the territories of Hong Kong and Macau for a year.

The embassy also said the punishment could be reduced or waived if the MPs apologised for their visit. China claims Taiwan, a self-governing island, as its territory.

Under its diplomatic relations with China, New Zealand recognises the “One China” policy position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. However, New Zealand does not explicitly hold that view itself.

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Luxon maintained New Zealand had a long tradition of MPs visiting Taiwan, noting Parliament MPs did not represent the Government.

“They’re free to see who they want to see,” Luxon said of the MPs.

“We think it’s entirely inappropriate, the reaction that we’ve seen from the Chinese, we’ll raise that with them ourselves.”

A spokesman for Peters earlier said the minister had been surprised to learn that China had taken a decision, for the first time, to impose travel bans on New Zealand MPs as a result of travel to Taiwan, given the visits weren’t inconsistent with the One China policy.

Peters had instructed MFAT officials in Beijing and Wellington to discuss the matter with the Chinese system, to express concern at the departure from past practice and to better understand it.

Luxon was expected to meet with Albanese in Noosa yesterday evening ahead of the Australia-New Zealand leaders’ meeting this morning.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meeting with Queensland Premier David Crisafulli in Brisbane. Photo / Adam Pearse

‘Wasn’t right’: Luxon weighs in on State of Origin red card with Queensland Premier

Luxon capped off his brief visit to Brisbane meeting Queensland Premier David Crisafulli.

In their opening remarks, the pair bantered about rugby league, specifically the three-game State of Origin series between Queensland (Maroons) and New South Wales (Blues).

Luxon, who Crisafulli outed as a Maroons fan, expressed sympathy at Queensland’s 20-22 loss last week.

The game turned on the referee’s controversial decision to send off Queensland’s Kayln Ponga for a high tackle on NSW’s Toluta’u Koula, allowing the Blues back into the game, which had been dominated by the Maroons.

Luxon raised the decision in his remarks, declaring it “wasn’t right” and said to Crisafulli: “You were robbed!”

He then jibed that he would be mentioning the Warriors’ recent good form with Albanese in his meetings.

After touching down in Brisbane in the morning, Luxon met with organisers of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is greeted with a cultural performance at a Pacific Policing base in Brisbane. Photo / Adam Pearse

Organising committee president Andrew Liveris assured Luxon he wanted the games to be an “economic opportunity” for New Zealand, later telling media he was lobbying the Australian Government to relax immigration settings to allow more workers to cross the Tasman.

Luxon then visited a Pacific Policing Initiative base, meeting with police officers from across the Pacific who spend six months at the Brisbane base upskilling.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.