Xi'an Jiaotong University has sent a men's eight and a women's four to Dunedin. The average age of the team is 21.
There is a also a team from the Militia Medical University in the same city, Xi'an.
''New Zealand rowing has a very high standard and it is a good opportunity for us to learn from them,'' Xi'an Jiaotong captain Wei Wang told the Otago Daily Times.
''It is a chance for us to learn and get experience. I hope we have a very good race.''
There are 50 competitive rowers at Xi'an Jiaotong University and 200 others that enjoy rowing at a lesser level. The university has 30,000 students.
''It is the first time we have toured overseas,'' coach Arthur Feng said.
''It is a good opportunity for us to rub shoulders with people from other universities around the world.''
The city of Xi'an was the old capital of China. It has a population of four million and there are 40 million in the wider Xi'an province.
''We usually train on the river north of the city but move to a lake to prepare for the big events,'' Feng said.
The Otago University Rowing Club has competed at Chinese university regattas for the past four years.
''It's nice to repay the Chinese,'' Otago University Rowing Club director Glen Sinclair said.
''We are treated like rock stars and stay at five-star hotels.''
The Chinese presence adds prestige to the New Zealand universities event.
''It starts making our university championships more of an international regatta,'' Sinclair said.
''It followed on from the St Petersburg University crew that we had here last year. We are getting an international name for ourselves and that is why the Chinese wanted to come and compete.''
Ten 10 crews, including two from universities in the city of Xi'An, two from Otago University and two from Canterbury University, will compete in the eights.
''Waikato will be the team to beat,'' Sinclair said.
The major races against the visiting Chinese will be the traditional 3.2km eight and the usual 2km race.
Otago University has the biggest team, with 94 rowers competing. The crews are trained by seven coaches.
The regatta will be held at Lake Waihola today from 8am to 5pm.
There is a reserve day tomorrow, if the weather is too rough today.