Peters spoke at the Great of Hall of the People, and told Han Zheng that New Zealand had a long history of engagement with China going back to 1972 with Robert Muldoon and Chairman Mao Zedong, and he was delighted to be in China.
Peters then made the point that New Zealand and China will not always agree.
"If everybody always agrees, there is something wrong with the arrangement, somebody is not thinking hard enough."
The meeting comes at a time of heightened tension in New Zealand and Australia over the presence of three Chinese Navy ships conducting exercises in the Tasman sea.
The Chinese have stressed that New Zealand and Australia is over-hyping the issue and the ships are in international waters.
It is likely Peters will seek assurances today from the Chinese as to why they are conducting the exercises and whether there could have been more warnings.
In his opening remarks, Peters also noted New Zealand is keen to be a positive partner with China and stressed he hoped Prime Minister Christopher Luxon would be able to visit China in the near future.
Peters is meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi later tonight (NZT).
