New Zealand’s foreign minister Winston Peters has triggered a formal complaint from China’s embassy after telling a lawmaker of Chinese descent to “go back to your own country” during a parliamentary debate.

The incident occurred on Wednesday when Green Party MP Lawrence Xu-Nan, who was born in Tianjin but grew up in New Zealand, asked Peters about his vaccination status during a discussion on the country’s Covid-19 pandemic response.

Peters, who leads the populist NZ First party, responded by telling Xu-Nan he had “come here five minutes ago” and should return to his own country.

“Go back to your own country. That’s where they lie like a flatfish, but they don’t lie like that here,” Peters said. “This is called a democracy, unlike what you’re used to. Go back to where you’ve come from, you loudmouth.”

Diplomatic complaint filed

The remarks prompted an unusual public response from Chinese ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong, who posted on X on Thursday that whilst he preferred to stay out of domestic politics, “sometimes, a statement says more about the person that makes it than anything or anybody else”.

China’s embassy in Wellington confirmed it had lodged a complaint with New Zealand’s foreign ministry over “negative China-related remarks made by a certain politician”.

Peters has refused to apologise, instead defending his comments on social media.

“We live in a democracy that includes free speech and rights – those two values that other certain countries not only limit, but do so with force,” he wrote on X. “If that offends the pearl clutchers and the communist shills labelling it as ‘dangerous’ – welcome to New Zealand.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, whose National Party governs in coalition with NZ First, condemned what he called Peters’ “inappropriate attention-seeking” comments.

Pattern of controversial remarks

This is not the first time Peters and his party have faced criticism over racist statements. Earlier this year, Peters’ deputy Shane Jones criticised New Zealand’s free trade agreement with India, warning of a “butter chicken tsunami”.

Last year, both Peters and Jones were forced to backtrack after Jones shouted “send the Mexicans home” at MP Francisco Hernandez during a parliamentary debate. Hernandez was actually born in the Philippines.

Following that incident, Peters told both Hernandez and Xu-Nan to “show some gratitude” for being in New Zealand.

NZ First is seen as a kingmaker party in New Zealand’s fractured political system, often holding the balance of power in coalition governments.