Could Chinese explorers have settled New Zealand before the Maori?

For generations, the accepted history of New Zealand's settlement states that Polynesian voyagers, ancestors of the Maori, arrived in the 13th century. This timeline is foundational to New Zealand's history and political structure, including the Treaty of Waitangi signed in 1840. This treaty between the British Crown and Maori chiefs established the basis for British sovereignty and the country's incorporation into the British Empire. The article does not provide further details on the content of the treaty or its implications beyond its role as a founding document.