Comments by the United States' Ambassador to New Zealand critical of Chinese censorship have caused a stir within China's Wellington embassy.

US Ambassador Scott Brown chastised China live on The AM Show on Friday, saying the Chinese Government was attacking freedom of speech, "taking away people's ability to think", and not playing by the rules on the world stage.

The Chinese Embassy has now hit back, telling Newshub that Brown's comments on China are "groundless, irresponsible and distorted".

The US Ambassador's criticism of Chinese censorship came amid a crisis for the North American National Basketball Association (NBA) after the Houston Rockets' general manager, Daryl Morey, tweeted support for protesters in Hong Kong critical of mainland China's influence in the city. That was sharply rebuked by the Chinese Government.



The demonstrations in Hong Kong - which is part of China but with its own leadership - have infuriated Beijing, which has repeatedly criticised pro-democracy protesters as it tries to quell anti-Chinese sentiment and any suggestion that Hong Kong could secede.

An NBA game - which did not feature the Rockets - still went ahead in Shanghai. But in response to Morey's tweet, which has since been deleted, media conferences didn't happen, state television didn't broadcast the fixture, promotional content was scrapped, and Houston Rockets' merchandise was reportedly pulled from stores across the Middle Kingdom.

Brown on Friday called the fallout "absolutely outrageous" and said it was an example of how disagreeing with China led to negative consequences.

But a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand told Newshub China interacted with the international community with "an open and inclusive mind" and that foreign organisations and people were always welcome in China on the basis of "mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit".

"Whether it is in China, the US or anywhere else, mutual respect is a prerequisite for exchange and cooperation. When one conducts exchange and cooperation with China while having no knowledge of the opinion of the ordinary Chinese people, that will not work," the spokesperson said.

While Brown said many support the Hong Kong demonstrators' ability to protest peacefully, the embassy spokesperson called the protesters violent vandals.

"Radical forces and violent offenders in Hong Kong flagrantly disrupted social order, vandalised public facilities, attacked the police and left a trail of smashed or burned items all over the city," the spokesperson told Newshub.

"These behaviours have gone far beyond the scope of marches or assemblies. They trampled on the bottom line of morality, crossed the bottom line of rule of law, and challenged the bottom line of 'one country, two systems'.

"Ending violence and chaos and restoring order has become the widest consensus and the strongest appeal of all social sectors in Hong Kong."