China says it doesn’t want war, but is ready to defend itself if forced to fight.
That’s the message from China’s ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong, who sat down for a wide ranging and exclusive interview on Q+A with Jack Tame.
“We won't seek any military conflict, because we have always stood for peace and opposed war. But if war or military conflict is imposed upon us, we have no choice but to respond,” he said.
Ambassador Wang said China’s ambitions for the world are peaceful, particularly in light of new diplomatic deals being sought with Pacific Island nations, which have upset New Zealand and other Western powers.
“We're not interested at all in so-called geopolitical or geostrategic competition. We are not doing it here in the South Pacific. We are not doing it anywhere else in the world,” said Ambassador Wang.
The interview came amid significant tensions in the Taiwan Strait, after the visit of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the disputed island.
At the time, former NZ PM Sir John Key told Q+A Pelosi’s visit was “reckless” and “dangerous”.
“What has happened with the latest visit by Speaker Pelosi to Taiwan is an affront to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China,” said Wang.
“It is a violation of the commitment made by the United States itself on One China. And it's also a serious threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait and stability in the wider Asia-Pacific region.”
China held military drills in the Taiwan Strait for several days after the visit, with missiles disrupting shipping carrying New Zealand’s exports.
The ambassador was also questioned about China’s record on human rights, particularly regarding alleged abuses of Uyghur people in Xinjiang province.
The New Zealand-based sister of an Uyghur man detained in Xinjiang claims she received threatening phone calls after speaking out about his case.
Ambassador Wang denied the embassy had any involvement in that.
“Let me tell you in very clear and unmistakeable terms. None of those things that has been claimed has actually happened, because none of my staff has made any calls to any one of these people about anything.”
He also dismissed a report released this week by a United Nations special rapporteur alleging conditions akin to “slavery” for Uyghur people as “totally baseless”.
This year will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and China, and Ambassador Wang said he hoped to help arrange a visit to Beijing by PM Ardern.
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