I.  We have taken note of the Joint Statement issued following the third Australia–New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations. The statement overlooks the root cause of the ongoing military actions in the Middle East conducted in blatant violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, which have resulted in civilian casualties and disruptions to the global economy. It also remains silent on the two countries’ own poor records concerning human rights and ethnic minority issues. Instead, it contains unwarranted, inappropriate, and extensive comments on China’s internal affairs.

As a Chinese saying goes, one should first ensure one’s own conduct is beyond reproach before criticising others. In other words, it is important to reflect on one’s own actions before casting judgment. The sections concerning China’s internal affairs are marked by bias, misinformation, and inexplicable colonial-style arrogance, reflecting hypocrisy and double standards on issues of global peace, stability, and the well-being of people worldwide.

China expresses its strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to these unfounded accusations.

II. Issues related to Xinjiang, Xizang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are purely China’s internal affairs and brook no external interference in any form.

Xinjiang and Xizang have been integral parts of China’s territory since ancient times. Today, both regions enjoy sustained economic development, social stability, and harmony among different ethnic and religious groups. The lawful rights and interests of all ethnic groups—including cultural, linguistic, and religious rights—are fully respected and protected. The international community and their own people are well placed to form a fair judgment regarding the treatment of indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities in those countries that level unfounded accusations against China.

Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the principle of 'One Country, Two Systems' has been successfully practised in Hong Kong, demonstrating remarkable vitality and enduring relevance. In particular, the implementation of the National Security Law has effectively countered the attempts of anti-China, destabilising forces and external hostile elements to subvert Hong Kong's stability, bringing about a historic transition from turbulence to order, and from order to prosperity. Social cohesion has been restored, and the economy continues to develop vigorously — outcomes that have earned the broad recognition and support of Hong Kong residents. A Hong Kong that enjoys long-term stability and sustained prosperity is not only an integral part of China's overall development, but also serves the shared interests of all parties.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and lies at the very core of China’s core interests, and this red line must not be crossed or challenged in any form. The one-China principle is a universally recognised fundamental norm of international relations and a prevailing consensus of the international community. It constitutes the political foundation upon which China has established and developed diplomatic relations with 183 countries, and represents a solemn political commitment made by New Zealand. The restoration of Taiwan to China is a hard-won outcome of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and of the broader victory in World War II. The status of Taiwan has been firmly and definitively established by a series of international legal instruments, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758. Any attempt to engineer a 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan' scenario on the international stage is destined to fail. The Democratic Progressive Party authorities' obstinate adherence to the separatist position of 'Taiwan independence' is the root cause of threats to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We urge all countries, including New Zealand, to earnestly honour their one-China commitment, handle Taiwan-related matters with prudence, refrain from any form of official interactions with the Taiwan region, and send no erroneous signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces. It has been demonstrated time and again that the more clearly the international community opposes 'Taiwan independence' separatism, and the more firmly it upholds the one-China principle, the stronger the guarantee of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The overall situation in the East and South China Seas remains stable. China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, and exercises sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the relevant maritime areas. A small number of extra-regional countries have travelled vast distances to the South China Sea to engage in shows of force and deliberately stoke tensions under various untenable pretexts, thereby serving as a primary source of instability in the region. The Philippine side, emboldened by external backing, has repeatedly engaged in provocative encroachments upon China's sovereign rights at sea, acting as a disruptor of peace and a generator of friction. China remains steadfastly committed to resolving differences with regional countries through dialogue and consultation, and to jointly upholding regional peace and stability. In response to military provocations, the Chinese military has consistently maintained a professional and restrained posture while taking necessary measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. Relevant extra-regional countries should genuinely respect the efforts of regional countries to preserve peace and stability, cease provocative actions, and refrain from exploiting maritime issues to drive wedges between regional states or to manufacture bloc-based confrontation.

III. China remains committed to developing friendly and cooperative relations with all countries, including New Zealand. However, mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs are fundamental norms of international relations and constitute the indispensable baseline that must underpin all state-to-state interactions. The references to China in the Joint Statement are both unfounded and ill-timed, and are clearly not conducive to the sound and stable development of bilateral relations under present circumstances, nor do they serve New Zealand's own interests.

We urge the New Zealand side to take a clear-eyed view of the prevailing situation, to approach China's development and the China-New Zealand relationship in an objective and impartial manner, and to work in the same direction as China — doing more to build mutual trust and advance practical cooperation. We hope that New Zealand will not persist further down a counterproductive path, so as to prevent any additional damage to our bilateral relations.