New Zealand is seen as an attractive place for foreign investors and should value that reputation, the chairwoman of China's foreign affairs committee says.

Investment reforms in China meant "more and more" Chinese companies were interested in investing in New Zealand, Madam Fu Ying said on TV3's The Nation.

That was because of "consistent policy" and "political messages from New Zealand about welcoming Chinese investment," she said.

The recent decision by the Government to veto the sale of Lochinver Station following a bid by Chinese investors would have been "a big disappointment" to the investor, but Fu Ying said she did not see why Chinese investors could not be successful in New Zealand.

The sale was vetoed on the basis the Chinese company would not add value over and above what a New Zealand buyer would - a consideration that included the number of jobs that would be created.

Fu Ying said she hoped the message was "clear and consistent, because if it's a mixed message, people will wonder is it a good investment place or not?"

She hoped Chinese people were not becoming a political target in New Zealand, after the Labour Party released data on people with Chinese surnames buying Auckland properties.

Chinese investors were buying properties in London, the United States, and even Fiji, she said.

Investors should abide by the rules and laws of countries they were in, but Fu Ying hoped that countries had "a fair attitude" towards Chinese investors. 

"Generally speaking, I think New Zealand has a very good reputation in China, and we hope you value that," she said on The Nation.

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