China's ambassador made a rare intervention after New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters refused to back down over remarks he made in parliament to Chinese-born MP Lawrence Xu-Nan.

China's ambassador has delivered a pointed response after Foreign Minister Winston Peters told a Chinese-born New Zealand MP to "go back to your own country" in Parliament.

China called on "relevant people in New Zealand" not to make China an issue for domestic political purposes, and do more things that are conducive to bilateral friendship.