China urges New Zealand's security service to stop spreading lies

BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- China urges relevant agency in New Zealand to stop spreading lies and stop creating misperception, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on a report by New Zealand's security service accusing China of being the most active country engaged in foreign interference in New Zealand.

Mao said in recent years, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service has repeatedly spread disinformation, groundlessly framed and attacked China, smeared the normal friendly exchanges between various sectors of the two countries, and harassed and intimidated Chinese people in New Zealand, which shows relevant agency's ideological bias and Cold War mentality.

"This does no good to mutual trust and runs counter to the two countries' consensus of enhancing people-to-people and cultural exchanges," said Mao, adding that China deplores and opposes it.

"We urge relevant agency in New Zealand to stop spreading lies, stop creating misperception, and contribute more to people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries and the sound and steady development of bilateral relations," she added.