New Zealand said on Thursday it would express its concerns to Beijing after China unexpectedly barred four New Zealand lawmakers from entering Hong Kong, Macau and the Chinese mainland as punishment for visiting Taiwan last month.

The MPs who took part in the five-day visit in May were National’s Maureen Pugh, Labour’s Duncan Webb, ACT’s Laura McClure and NZ First’s David Wilson.

'Shocked' MP said Taiwan is an important economic and cultural partner to New Zealand.