NZ flight turns back mid-air after discovering it lacks permission to land in China

When you have to fly 12 or 14 hours, I am curious how something as important as "Landing Permission," gets forgotten?

Isn't it heavily suggested that you apply for and receive your landing and overflight permits a full 96 hours before the departing flight to China? Was this a company issue or a paperwork issue on the Chinese government side?

How many times has that same, specific, aircraft landed in China before?

Probably Chinese bring obstructive? Surely it could have been rectified whilst enroute?

If it was the other way around I’m sure it wouldn’t be an issue..

//289

Maybe it's an inauspicious numbers like 4?

It's related to Huawei.

NZ was one of the first Countries to ban it's technology:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/nov/28/new-zealand-blocks-huawei-5g-equipment-on-security-concerns