On May 29, 2018, at the Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ), a ceremony was held to launch the 2018 New Zealand-China Scientist Exchange Programme. The Chief Executive of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Dr Andrew Cleland; the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) International Relationships Manager, Simon Rae, and the Director of the Chinese Embassy’s Science and Technology Section, Ren Hongbo, attended the event and addressed the audience. Following the launch, ten scientists selected by China will head to New Zealand for a 4-6-week study visit at research institutions including the Crown Research Institutes, the University of Auckland and Massey University.

The science and technology authorities of China and New Zealand signed the Agreement on New Zealand-China Scientist Exchange Programme in February 2009. Under the agreement, five outstanding young scientists would be selected by each country every year to engage in research work in the other country's research institutions. The agreement was renewed in April 2013, with the number of visiting scholars from each country increasing to ten each year. As at the end of 2017, the two countries have funded a total of 126 exchange scientists. The programme has laid a solid foundation for scientists from both countries to increase their understanding, cooperate in joint research plans and establish and consolidate long-term cooperation in the fields of scientific and technological innovation.