Listen: Simon Bridges fires up over 'conspiracy theory nonsense' in debate with Peter Williams over National Party donations. Credit: Image - Getty / Twitter; Video - Magic Talk

Simon Bridges has fired up over "conspiracy theory nonsense" in a debate over his proximity to the Chinese businessman charged over a donation to the National Party. Newshub revealed last week that Chinese businessman Zhang Yikun is one of four people charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in January over donations to the National Party - their identities made public last week after name suppression was lifted. Despite Bridges not facing SFO charges, nor any National MP or board member, Magic Talk's Peter Williams questioned "how well" the Opposition leader knows Zhang Yikun, after he donated $100,050 to the National Party in 2018.

"You must have known he was going to make donations to the National Party," Williams told Bridges on Monday, referring to a fundraising dinner the National leader attended with Zhang Yikun in May 2018. "There is nothing there that is illegal," Bridges replied. "I think you've got to be very careful when making these claims about what you're saying." Following a heated debate Bridges fired up at Williams, telling him: "We could do this every single week because you've got nothing and you're not going to have anything because there is nothing. "If you want to read BFD and excite yourself every week Peter, with this kind of conspiracy theory nonsense, good for you mate." BFD is the reincarnation of Whale Oil, the website of former far-right blogger Cameron Slater, who sparked the 2014 book Dirty Politics. Zhang Yikun has been charged along with three others, including former National MP Jami-Lee Ross and Colin Zheng, Zhang's business partner and prospective National Party candidate. The group are due to appear in court on Tuesday.

Simon Bridges pictured with Zhang Yikun in 2018. Photo credit: Twitter