KEY POINTS:
A former Chinese diplomat has claimed a woman was kidnapped in New Zealand by the Chinese Government in 2005 and shipped home.
Chen Yonglin is in Wellington meeting politicians before a human rights rally today where he will be a guest speaker.
One News reported last night that he made the claim at a meeting with Green Party MP Keith Locke in Parliament.
"He says a woman with New Zealand residency was kidnapped by the Chinese Government and taken from New Zealand back to China on a state-owned ship," the state-owned broadcaster reported.
It showed Chen Yonglin saying in faltering English: "I know there's one case, a kidnap case happened in New Zealand but if necessary the New Zealand intelligence service is interested I may park with them the details."
Mr Locke said the accusation was "very serious" and he would make sure the police were aware of it.
Prime Minister Helen Clark's office said the Government was not aware of the incident and urged the man to go to the police.
Chen Yonglin is a dissident who defected in May 2005 when he was a diplomat in the Chinese consulate in Sydney.
He was denied political asylum but was granted a visa allowing him and his family to remain permanently in Australia.
In September 2005 he claimed a 1000-strong Chinese spy network was operating in Australia under the authority of a man who, at that time, was still working in the Sydney consulate.
Beijing denied the allegation.
Speakers at today's rally include representatives of Amnesty International, Friends of Tibet, Mr Locke, United Future leader Peter Dunne and Maori Party MP Hone Harawira.
- NZPA
