Subj : Accusations of spying, interference grow amid Chinese premier visit
To   : All
From : News
Date : Sat Jun 15 2024 01:57 pm

By 1News Reporters
Friday 6:53pm

Accusations of spying and foreign interference are becoming louder as one of
China's most powerful leaders continues his visit.


An interparliamentary committee is calling for MPs to look into those
allegations and the Prime Minister said he raised the issues with Chinese
Premier Li Qiang during their one-on-one official meeting last night.


There have been no opportunities for media to ask questions of Chinese
Premier Li during his visit.


But now, MPs from across Parliament have begun insisting questions be asked,
and requesting the Foreign Affairs Committee launch an inquiry into foreign
interference.


Labour MP Ingrid Leary - also on the interparliamentary committee on China -
told 1News there were "more questions than answers".


"It's really important we get some sunlight on this, so the public can feel
secure that New Zealand is resilient to foreign interference and the public
can be assured further steps will be taken if needed."


The Prime Minister Luxon and Premier Li sat down for official talks late
yesterday.


After the meeting, Luxon insisted he raised concerns about spying.


"I expressed our view that foreign interference is something we do not
support from any country," he said.


He added half of the meeting with China's second most powerful leader was
about issues on which we differ.


"Suffice to say that I raised the difference that New Zealand has and
likewise the Chinese would raise their differences."


Victoria University Professor Jason Young said: "Every time there's a high
level visit from China there's always issues of controversy, there's usually
protest movements, people raise human rights concerns."


The visit has come at a crucial time in the bilateral relationship, including
chatter about New Zealand joining a tier of the AUKUS pact, something China's
ambassador has publicly rebuked.


On this matter, Young added: "Yes there's more issues of disagreement but, at
the same time, both sides are trying to focus on those areas of co-operation."


With New Zealand facing an infrastructure deficit, there was potential for
Chinese cash to help fund projects.


"We're country agnostic," said Luxon.


Our infrastructure posed problems for the Labour Party leader today too, who
was due for a quick chat with Premier Li at 5pm but a major car accident
meant the meeting had to be cancelled.

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