WELLINGTON - Chinese visitors to New Zealand will soon be able to shop with their plastic cards at a wider range of outlets after a deal was signed between major financial service providers in the two countries.

The ANZ bank said Wednesday that ANZ point-of-sale (POS) and bank machine terminals throughout New Zealand would begin accepting UnionPay credit and debit cards.

ANZ was also the first bank in New Zealand to accept QuickPass, UnionPay's "tap and go" application for credit and debit cards, and the service would be available at all eligible merchants over the next 12 to 18 months, said an ANZ statement.

UnionPay is one of the most commonly used payment tools by outbound Chinese.

"Every year, the number of Chinese tourists, students and businesspeople travelling to New Zealand grows. Over the past year international arrivals from China have increased 35 percent," ANZ New Zealand CEO David Hisco said in the statement.

The move followed the successful launch of UnionPay card and ATM acceptance by ANZ in Australia last year.