New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has sparked controversy after telling a Chinese-born Member of Parliament to “return to where you came from” during a parliamentary debate, prompting criticism from opposition leaders, the Prime Minister and China’s ambassador to New Zealand.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when Green Party MP Lawrence Xu-Nan questioned Peters on whether he had received a Covid-19 vaccine.
In response, Peters made a remark telling Xu-Nan to return to his place of origin, while comparing New Zealand’s democratic system with other countries. The statement immediately drew criticism, with several politicians accusing him of making inappropriate comments.
Xu-Nan, who was born in Tianjin, China, moved to Auckland with his family in 1994 when he was still a child and has since become a New Zealand citizen and politician.
China’s Ambassador to New Zealand, Wang Xiaolong, also responded to the controversy through social media platform X, saying he normally avoids commenting on New Zealand’s domestic politics but believed Peters’ remarks reflected more on the person making the statement rather than the individual being targeted.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon later criticised Peters’ comments, describing them as an unnecessary attempt to attract attention. He said Peters had previously made provocative remarks that often generated media coverage, while many New Zealanders remained focused on issues affecting their daily lives.
Luxon also expressed his support for the Chinese Kiwi community, saying the National Party continued to stand with all communities across the country.
However, Peters refused to apologise and defended his remarks, claiming the criticism against him was an example of public anger and insisting that he was standing up for freedom of speech and democracy in New Zealand.
He also responded to the Chinese ambassador’s comments by saying the reaction highlighted the importance of free expression in New Zealand compared with countries where such freedoms were restricted.
Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Gerry Brownlee acknowledged that Peters’ remarks were inappropriate but said no formal action could be taken because no MPs raised an official objection during the debate.
Xu-Nan described Peters’ comments as an attempt to divert attention from the government’s performance. He said New Zealand was a nation built on diversity and urged the Prime Minister to address such behaviour among Cabinet members.
The controversy is not the first involving Peters, who faced criticism in 2025 alongside Deputy Minister Shane Jones after making remarks targeting foreign-born MPs before later withdrawing the statements.
