The Prime Minister has announced five initiatives with China aimed at strengthening business, science and education links.
John Key and new Chinese Premier Li Keqiang have signed off a suite of agreements following a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday.
From July this year, New Zealand business visitors to China will be able to get three-year multiple-entry visas that allow them to stay for up to 30 days on any one visit.
Chinese business visitors to New Zealand will also get three-year multiple entry visas and be able to stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 12-month period.
It is hoped a new agreement between each country's Education Ministries will boost links so that New Zealand Polytechnics can work with Chinese technical colleges to design programmes and assessment.
There will also be an updated scientist exchange programme involving 10 scientists from each country, and a new science and innovation counsellor will be appointed to China.
There will be co-operation on food safety, and the respective governments will also work closer to stem the flow of drugs smuggled into New Zealand from China used for making methamphetamine.
There will also be more collaboration to counter illegal fishing and work done on sustainable fishing.
Earlier, John Key attended an event to mark a deal between New Zealand company Deep South Ice Cream and China's Big Pizza chain.
It will result in New Zealand ice cream in the 130 Big Pizza restaurants throughout China.
