Bangladesh, Dec. 1 -- New Zealand has joined Australia in denouncing a graphic tweet posted by a Chinese official that shows a fake image of a grinning Australian soldier holding a bloodied knife to a child's throat.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tuesday that New Zealand has voiced its concerns directly with Chinese authorities.

"This is an image that wasn't factual. It wasn't correct. And so in keeping with our principled position where images like that are used, we will raise those concerns and we'll do it directly," Ardern told reporters.

China has not backed down from the tweet and said there will be no apology.

Ardern's criticism was more muted than Australia's. She faced an awkward choice of how far to get involved in a con...