Officials helping jailed Kiwi in China

New Zealand consular staff in China will meet New Zealand businessman Danny Cancian tomorrow to discuss the concerns over his treatment in a Chinese prison but no immediate relief is on the horizon.

Cancian, who suffers from asthma but has to share a cell with smokers, is 18 months into a five-year jail sentence for killing a man after a fight at a south China restaurant in 2008.

Mr Key, who left China yesterday, previously said he would raise the issue with New Zealand's ambassador while he was in the country.

Today, Mr Key told reporters there would be another meeting between embassy staff and officials tomorrow.

"I think it's fair to say from a consular level we've been providing a lot of support."

The meeting tomorrow would be the 13th.

"We're going to try and work our way through and see if there's another solution. It's not easy to find a non-smoking prison in China."

It was also important Cancian was aware of the consequences of moving prisons, such as losing credits awarded for good behaviour, Mr Key said.

Cancian's family had hoped Mr Key would be able to get results.

"I don't think it's at a significant enough level for me to take that up on a one-on-one basis with the premier of China," Mr Key said.

"The fact that a prisoner wants to move from a smoking cell to a non-smoking cell, someone that got a five-year sentence for killing someone in a bar fight, probably isn't at the level where we would take it up directly with the premier."

Cancian was attacked in a south China restaurant while having dinner in 2008 and, while his attackers admitted starting the fight, the judge ruled against him.

His family have said his health was extremely poor and he had to go to hospital twice a month for treatment for his asthma.

- NZPA