Tensions over China's role in Hong Kong have spilled over to a New Zealand university campus.

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The University of Auckland has confirmed it's investigating a violent incident between pro-China and pro-Hong Kong students.

It comes after large scale anti-government protests in Hong Kong over a law allowing extradition to mainland China have gone on for weeks.

Yesterday, student activist Serena Lee was pinning information on a message board at the University of Auckland when a group of Chinese men approached her.

"We were really scared honestly, because three guys, most of us are girls and we didn't know what to do," she told 1 NEWS.

Footage captured the incident take place, starting of with a long exchange of words that eventually turned heated, leading to one of the Chinese men appearing to bump Ms Lee to the ground.

"He pushed me using his shoulder and afterwards he kept saying that they didn't touch me, but it's clear there was contact," Ms Lee says.

She's since laid a complaint with the police.