New Zealand man Nai Yin Xue, who abandoned his young daughter at a Melbourne train station in 2007, has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife An An Liu.

Xue still protests his innocence but did not react as the judge handed down the sentence in Auckland this morning.

Justice Hugh Williams ordered the martial arts expert to serve a minimum non-parole period of 12 years for strangling his wife.

After dumping her body in the boot of his work car, Xue flew to Melbourne, where he abandoned his daughter.

He then fled to the United States, where he was caught by a group of Chinese-Americans who recognised him from the TV show America's Most Wanted.

Justice Williams told Xue he subjected his wife to excruciating terror.

"There is also the cruelty you displayed in abandoning your daughter," he said.

Xue told his lawyer he now regrets leaving the child in Australia.

The five-year-old is now being raised by her maternal grandmother in China.

Xue's lawyer, Chris Comeskey, has indicated he will lodge an appeal for his client.

Earlier this week it was revealed that New Zealand authorities warned Xue was capable of killing his wife a year before he committed the murder.

In 2006, he appeared in an Auckland court after punching his 27-year-old wife in the face.

He held a knife to her stomach and told her "I'm going to kill you".

But according to New Zealand's Sunday Times newspaper, the judge let Xue off with a warning.

Police told the court Xue was "fully capable of killing the victim due to his training and discipline".

They also said pictures of Xue in the family's home striking martial arts poses had "created a climate of fear".

In an interview in Mandarin to the New Zealand Chinese Herald earlier this month, Xue said he was innocent and would write a book so people could know the truth about what happened.

Xue said he passes the time in prison playing pool and cards, and says once he accepted the fact that he was in prison, it became just like another nine-to-five job.

He also said he was developing new martial arts moves in prison.