Wellington: China on Thursday criticized remarks by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters telling a Chinese-born opposition lawmaker to 'go back to your own country.'

According to Anadolu Agency, China's Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong expressed his country's stance on a US social media platform X, stating, 'We have absolutely no interest in being dragged into the domestic politics of other countries.' He further noted, 'Suffice it to say, sometimes, a statement says more about the person that makes it than anything or anybody else.'

The controversy arose following an exchange between Peters and Green Party MP Lawrence Xu-Nan during a parliamentary debate, which sparked widespread backlash. The incident occurred during Parliament's general debate on Wednesday when Xu-Nan questioned Peters about his COVID-19 vaccination status, interrupting his speech. Peters retorted, telling Xu-Nan to 'go back to your own country' and remarked that New Zealand was 'a democracy, unlike what you're used to.'

Xu-Nan, who was born in China, relocated to New Zealand with his family in 1994, making Peters' comments particularly contentious.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning addressed the issue, acknowledging that the parliamentary debate was an internal affair of New Zealand but emphasizing the need for respectful communication. Mao stated, 'China always believes that it's important to respect the development paths and systems chosen by the people, and we oppose any form of discrimination and prejudice.'