China warned on Thursday that anyone who crosses the line on the Taiwan question will "pay the price", after it imposed travel bans on several individual New Zealand lawmakers who visited the Taiwan region in disregard of the grave concerns and firm opposition of Beijing.

"We urge the individuals concerned to earnestly respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and strictly abide by the one-China principle," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

Mao made the remarks in response to a question about why China banned several New Zealand lawmakers from entering the country.

READ MORE: China urges adherence to one-China principle after travel ban on NZ MPs

In a statement made earlier on Thursday, the Chinese embassy in New Zealand said that a small number of New Zealand lawmakers had visited the Taiwan region in their capacity as members of Parliament despite China's serious concerns, firm opposition and repeated prior warnings.

The embassy said that China had decided, in accordance with relevant laws, to take measures against the individuals concerned, such as the denial of entry into China, including the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

"Their action violates the one-China principle and interferes in China's internal affairs," Mao told reporters.

She stressed that the one-China principle, a prevailing international consensus and a basic norm in international relations, is also the political cornerstone of China-New Zealand relations.

ALSO READ: NZ lawmakers banned from entering China

On Thursday, Mao also responded to accusations by intelligence agencies from the so-called Five Eyes alliance, which includes the United States and the United Kingdom, that Chinese spies are using online job platforms to recruit people.

Mao said that as the world's largest intelligence cooperation network, the "Five Eyes" has long engaged in massive systemic espionage all over the world.

"It is ironic that such an organization is accusing China of 'spy threat'," she said.

Contact the writers at mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn