Exporters say New Zealand is unlikely to sacrifice trade with China, for trade with the US.

Winston Peters is heading to Washington and is hoping to talk trade with high-ranking officials he is meeting.

But Export NZ's Catherine Beard told Mike Hosking the tense China-US relationship will be tricky to navigate.

She says China is New Zealand's number one trade partner, so Peters has to strike a careful balance.

The deputy prime minister is testing the waters for a trade deal with the country, after Donald Trump dropped out of the Trans Pacific Partnership.