Protesters aired their sentiments on Friday outside the hotel where the Chinese premier was staying.
Protesters are not the only ones voicing concerns about the Chinese government: a cross-party group of New Zealand lawmakers has also called for an investigation into foreign interference.
This follows the release of Stuff Circuit’s documentary “The Long Game,” which details decades of alleged Chinese Communist Party influence and interference in New Zealand, and accusations of a state-sponsored attempted kidnapping of an Auckland Chinese man who was hospitalized.
This has prompted calls for an investigation from a cross-party group of lawmakers known as the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).
“IPAC is concerned about foreign interference by state actors of all kinds,” said IPAC co-chair Ingrid Leary, Labour MP.
“The committee will be aware of recent reports in which serious allegations of kidnapping, assault and harassment have been raised,” the groups wrote in a letter to the Foreign Affairs and Trade Select Committee.
“It has been widely reported that parliament’s computer systems have been hacked,” the letter said, adding that “several members of parliament and academics…” [were] are also being targeted.โ
“We have every reason to understand… there are other cases and circumstances that can be discovered,” the statement said.
“These are extremely worrying and have implications for the sovereign independence of our country and we ask that this information be taken seriously,” Leary said.
Li Qiang was asked about the recent allegations during a recent visit to the Plant and Food Research Institute in Oakland. He did not make any media appearances today or answer questions.
“What is the Chinese government saying about China’s interference in New Zealand for decades?” he was asked.
“Premier Li, what do you think about the kidnappings being carried out by the Chinese government in New Zealand?”
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was asked after his meeting with Li Qiang yesterday whether they had discussed foreign interference.
“We expressed our view that we do not support foreign interference by any country,” Lacson said.
Premier Li Qiang is one day away from a visit to New Zealand that has been marred by unanswered questions and protests.