CHINA'S answer to Bill Gates, Duan Yongji, is set to take a bite out of a number of mining interests in the Territory.

Mr Duan, the chief executive and chairman of Stone Group Holdings, is eyeing off a gold mine and a gold and copper mine in Central Australia.

His subsidiary company, Stone Resources Ltd, is also preparing to invest in the Territory uranium industry.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson met with Mr Duan and Stone Resources chief executive Fang Lu in Beijing on the second leg of his trip to Asia and the US yesterday.

"Our strategy of targeting China for investment and export opportunities has never been as important with the world facing the fallout from the global financial crisis," Mr Henderson said.

"The strategy is achieving real results - and while China is not immune from the impact of the financial crisis, I expect continued Chinese investment in our mining resource industries."

Mr Fang agreed, saying the global financial crisis would only be a bump in the road as far as his company's investment plans in the Territory were concerned.

"Our strategy is for long-term business - we are not here for short-term profitability," Mr Fang said.

"Although (the world) is experiencing a financial crisis I believe that is a temporary situation and as there is a beginning of this crisis and so there must be end.

"Our targeted strategy is to invest more in mining and mining industries and exploration in countries including Australia.

"I believe the financial crisis has also provided a number of opportunities in the mining industry with the drop in commodity prices - it provides a great opportunity for us to explore worldwide."

The NT is the only Australian state to have a dedicated strategy to target Chinese investment.