The catalyst to the warning this week is China and New Zealand clashing over a call to let Taiwan rejoin the World Health Organization as an observer state.
- New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said he personally thought Taiwan should be able to rejoin WHO - he said this last week
- China's embassy in NZ criticized Peters and reinforced the "one China" policy, which asserts Taiwan is not a separate country.
- Peters the told China's Ambassador Wu Xi to listen to her "master" in Beijing.
- Earlier this week China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lihan, warned New Zealand risked damaging the two nations' relationship if "certain people" didn't stop "spreading rumors and creating trouble."
Keep an eye on this, China might retaliate as it has done with Australia on beef exports.
