A heavy uniformed police presence, complete with patrol car escorts, officers on foot alongside and officers checking of bins, roadside grates and routes between destinations, was evident to onlookers when Chairman Jia Qinglin and his entourage were welcomed by community leaders in mid-April.
Mr Jia was hosted by Deputy Prime Minister and Clutha Southland MP Bill English during a whistle-stop tour of New Zealand which celebrated the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Superintendent Barry Taylor responded to inquiries in a letter received this week.
Supt Taylor said police provided a range of services during the visit in Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
"Officers were assigned in a number of areas associated with motorcade movements, the accommodation and premises viewed in the course of the visit," he said.
"Numbers of officers were assigned this range of activity for this multifaceted operation.
"Officers from the Southern Police District were assigned for the itinerary in Queenstown."
Supt Taylor said the information request on the number of officers involved in the operation was declined pursuant to the Official Information Act, "as making that information available would be likely to prejudice the international relations of the Government of New Zealand".
Supt Taylor said the information request on costs was declined, also pursuant to the Act.
"Particular costs apportioned to the policing of the visit cannot be readily obtained as costs fall across a significant range of budgets depending on the particular aspects covered in the course of the visit."
