The mid-air intercept threatened Australian fighter pilots, a statement said.
COVID-19 has weakened China's power in the region, the report says.
It's just the second US Navy ship to visit New Zealand since the 1980s.
The vessel - an Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer - will berth in Wellington over the next fortnight.
China has not ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control.
David Smol is a former chief executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
A man has been taken into military custody following a "joint criminal investigation".
