From the press room
Dunne turns down Beijing trip – 2008-03-28
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says he has declined an offer from the Government to accompany the Prime Minister when she visits Beijing soon to sign a free trade agreement between the two countries.
“We support the FTA because we believe it is in the best long-term interests of New Zealand,” he said.
“At the same time, we believe it is entirely proper to make our views publicly known about the Chinese Government’s bloody crackdown on its Tibetan citizens.
“UnitedFuture believes New Zealand’s closer relationship with China because of the FTA, which has huge benefits for China, gives us a privileged position from which we can comment forcefully on China’s human rights record,” said Mr Dunne.