Jack Luo with his partner Joyce Jiang: "They think all Chinese people are rich and going to buy whatever they want. But we aren't all rich."

"You're alright, you aren't like the other Chinese who are stealing the eels."

That was a line Jack Luo had hurled at him when he was visiting a park in Auckland, where locals said the eels had been stripped from the local stream.

The New Zealand China Council has undertaken its inaugural survey of how Kiwis perceive China and the Chinese – and some findings are grim. "We're not going to gloss over the information," says executive director Stephen Jacobi. "It is what it is, and it shows the holes in perceptions that we have to work on."

DOMINICO ZAPATA / STUFF New Zealander wrongly stereotype Chinese people as rich Asians driving up property prices.

Those holes are in New Zealand attitudes to Chinese investment in property, both commercial and residential, and concerns the relationship between the two countries is more beneficial to China.

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Luo, a New Zealand resident, bridles at the implication Chinese people are plundering New Zealand's resources.

Most of his interactions with Kiwis have been good, but there are times when racial stereotypes play into the conversation. Like last year when he was attending property auctions, to buy his Lower Hutt house.

"They think all Chinese people are rich and going to buy whatever they want. But we aren't all rich."

ROSA WOODS/STUFF Joyce Jiang and Jack Luo brought their corgis Amy and Lucky with them to New Zealand.

Luo questions why such a large nation as China and its population are subject to such sweeping generalisations. All their actions are considered to be the same.

"I heard it was a great place from a colleague of mine and I decided to move here with my dogs.

"It's been great. I like the hikes I can do, and climbing mountains."

NI HAO, NOT BONJOUR

On the most part, Luo says his experience has been positive – and that is consistent with the finding of the survey of 1000 New Zealanders.

Ni Hao is more important than bonjour to Kiwis. Mandarin is seen as the most important language for future generations to use.

Stephen Jacobi: "We're not going to gloss over the information. It shows the holes in perceptions that we have to work on."

But there is a rhetoric blaming Chinese for the inflated property market that characterises Chinese people as a bloc – the same stereotyping Luo experienced.

Jacobi recalls how Labour's Phil Twyford, who is now Housing Minister, hit out at "Chinese-sounding names" being over-represented in purchases made in the Auckland housing market.

"I know that Twyford wouldn't say that now. In fact I have heard him say several times that he regrets it and it doesn't mean anything."

Jacobi is also concerned that people think China benefits more from the relationship than New Zealand does.

"I'm not sure what we are going to do to change people's perceptions. We will be talking to people and showing them the statistics. And hopefully we are able to do this every year and see where we need to make change and where progress is being made."

ROSA WOODS / STUFF Jack Luo and Joyce Jiang moved to New Zealand from China and mostly, "it's been great".

On an anecdotal level, Jacobi believes we treat individuals with tolerance, yet stereotype Chinese as a bigger group.

The only way that will be changed is through education. "We'll get there. And we are starting from a good place."

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