The travel restrictions were communicated through China’s embassy in Wellington and conveyed to the lawmakers by New Zealand’s Parliamentary Service, according to messages seen by The Associated Press on Thursday. The ban applies to lawmakers Laura McClure, Duncan Webb, Maureen Pugh and David Wilson.

China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the sanctions on Thursday. Spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing opposed visits to Taiwan by members of legislatures from countries that maintain diplomatic relations with China and urged those involved to respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Anyone who crosses the red line on the Taiwan question must pay the price,” Mao told a regular press briefing in Beijing.

According to communications relayed by parliamentary officials, the restrictions could be lifted if the lawmakers apologized for their visit to Taiwan. Two of the lawmakers publicly rejected that demand.

ACT Party lawmaker Laura McClure described the request as inappropriate and said she would not apologize. Labour Party lawmaker Duncan Webb said New Zealand lawmakers were entitled to engage with international partners and that he was prepared to accept the consequences of the ban.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ office said visits by parliamentarians to Taiwan had occurred for decades and were not inconsistent with New Zealand’s One China policy, under which Wellington acknowledges Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China while maintaining unofficial relations with Taipei.

The government said officials in Wellington and Beijing would seek further clarification from Chinese authorities and formally express concern over the decision.

The sanctions mark the first known instance of New Zealand parliamentarians being barred from entering China over contact with Taiwan, according to the New Zealand government. Beijing has previously imposed similar restrictions on lawmakers from other countries as it intensifies efforts to discourage official engagement with Taiwan.

The issue has also drawn attention in neighboring Australia. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Canberra would raise concerns with Chinese officials and reiterated that lawmakers should be free to make independent decisions regarding overseas travel.

China regards democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes official exchanges between Taipei and foreign governments or legislators. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and maintains its own elected government and foreign engagements.

The dispute emerges despite generally stable relations between New Zealand and China in recent years. China remains New Zealand’s largest trading partner and was the first Western nation to conclude a free trade agreement with Beijing.

The dispute erupted after Teodoro told Reuters in an interview on Saturday that China remained a “severe threat” and had shown no evidence of long-term good faith, even after Beijing supplied fertilizer and fuel to the Philippines during shortages linked to regional conflict-related disruptions.

Responding to the remarks, China’s Foreign Ministry accused the Philippine defense chief of politicizing issues affecting ordinary citizens and disregarding the benefits of Chinese assistance.

Speaking at a regular briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Teodoro’s comments demonstrated that he was “solely driven by personal interests” and had failed to consider the welfare of the Philippine people.

Mao questioned how China could be expected to continue providing aid and essential supplies to the Philippines if such views prevailed among senior officials in Manila.

The exchange underscores the fragile state of relations between Beijing and Manila, which have been strained by longstanding maritime disputes, security concerns and competing strategic interests in the region.

Teodoro’s remarks reflected continued skepticism within the Philippine security establishment regarding China’s intentions, despite recent efforts by Beijing to project a more cooperative image through economic and humanitarian assistance.

China’s response signals growing frustration over what it views as Manila’s unwillingness to separate practical cooperation from broader geopolitical and security disagreements.

Neither side indicated any immediate plans for high-level talks following the latest diplomatic exchange.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the two sides, along with China, committed to continued dialogue after seven days of negotiations in the western Chinese city.

The parties agreed to address key issues in bilateral relations, with terrorism identified as the central concern affecting ties.

“The three parties agreed to explore a comprehensive solution to the issues in the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and clarified the core and priority issues that need to be addressed,” Mao said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.Both Afghanistan and Pakistan pledged they would not take actions that could “escalate or complicate the situation,” according to the Chinese readout.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said the talks concluded in a “constructive atmosphere,” focusing on security, bilateral relations and regional stability.

Writing on X, he thanked Beijing for facilitating the discussions and expressed hope the process would build trust and enhance cooperation.There was no immediate comment from Pakistan on the outcome of the talks.

The discussions were convened after fighting that began in February escalated into what Pakistan described as “open war,” including airstrikes inside Afghanistan, among them in the capital Kabul.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the conflict has displaced about 94,000 people, while roughly 100,000 residents in two Afghan border districts have been cut off from assistance since the violence began.

Despite the talks, Afghan officials have continued to accuse Pakistan of cross-border shelling, while Islamabad has long alleged that Afghanistan provides safe haven to militants, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, an insurgent group allied with the Afghan Taliban.

Kabul denies the operations.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing that China is willing to work with North Korea to enhance exchanges and advance what she described as “traditional friendly and cooperative relations” between the two neighbors.

The visit comes as Beijing signals continued engagement with Pyongyang amid a complex regional security environment, where diplomatic alignments remain under close scrutiny.

Mao did not provide further details on the itinerary or specific agenda of Wang’s visit, but reiterated China’s commitment to maintaining stable and constructive ties with North Korea.

China has historically been North Korea’s closest ally and largest trading partner, playing a key role in diplomatic efforts on the Korean Peninsula.

The latest visit reflects ongoing efforts by Beijing to sustain high-level dialogue and reinforce its influence in the region.