According to China's Customs, the bilateral trade volume between China and New Zealand in 2005 reached US$2.68 billion, up by 7.6 percent, among which China's export to New Zealand was US$1.35 billion, up by 25.6 percent, while China's import from New Zealand was US$1.33 billion, down by 6.1 percent. China had a surplus of US$20 million. China mainly exported knitted or crocheted garments and accessories, non-knitted or non-crocheted garments and accessories, electromechanical products, electric products, furniture, bedclothing, lightings, and mobile communication base stations. Major imported products to China from New Zealand included milk, honey, meat and edible offal, animal hair and skin such as wool and sheep skin, wood and articles of wood, wood pulp, paper and paper board, etc.

According to the Ministry of Commerce (hereinafter referred to as MOFCOM), the turnover of engineering contracts completed by the Chinese companies in New Zealand reached US$ 2.06 million in 2005, and the volume of the newly signed contracts was US$ 0.8 million. The volume of completed labor service cooperation contracts was US$4.18 million, and that of the newly signed labor service cooperation contracts was US$3.52 million.

Approved by or registered with the MOFCOM, 6 Chinese-funded non-financial enterprises were set up in New Zealand in 2005, with a total contractual investment of US$5.95 million by Chinese investors. Up to the end of 2005, there were altogether 39 Chinese-funded enterprises in New Zealand, with an aggregate contractual investment of US$58.37 million.

According to MOFCOM, New Zealand investors invested in 141 projects in China in 2005, with a contractual volume of US$320 million and an actual utilization of US$130 million. Up to the end of 2005, New Zealand investors invested in a total of 1,026 FDI projects in China with a total contractual investment of US$1.3 billion and paid-up capital of US$580 million.