Aquaculture is an obvious resource in a land surrounded by the sea and Chinese capital would be welcomed to develop its potential, he said.

The countries signed a free trade agreement in April 2008, which came into force in October that year. This was the first FTA that China signed with a developed nation.

Chinese investors have been making headlines in New Zealand since then by piling into the market.

Chinese leading appliance manufacturer Haier took a 20 percent stake in Fisher & Paykel Appliances in 2009. In 2010, Chinese agricultural company Agria purchased a 13 percent stake in PGG Wrightson.

But these high-profile commercial transactions fueled fears among some New Zealanders that China was playing too large a role in the economy.

A New Zealand court has recently blocked a move by the government to allow Shanghai Pengxin to buy 16 farms spread across almost 8,000 hectares on the country's North Island.

"We have just struck a legal challenge to the particular case, we are trying to work it through," Groser, who refused to elaborate, said.

The FTA has seen a surge in two-way trade. China overtook Australia last year as the leading source of imports for New Zealand.

Exports have been growing by 25 percent annually.

The countries are trying to double trade to NZ$20 billion ($17 billion) by 2015, but "there is every reason to believe we could exceed the objective at the current growth rate before 2015," Groser said.

The government is placing a priority on promoting domestic consumption.

Food and beverage is the bread and butter of New Zealand produce.

"We produce what China wants, including dairy products, meat, fruit and wine."