A Shanghai court sentenced a Chinese man Wednesday to 15 years in prison for killing a taxi driver last year in New Zealand.

The unusual case marked the first time anyone accused of murder in New Zealand has been tried in another country. The court said it considered the remorse shown by the defendant, Xiao Zhen, when imposing the relatively light sentence on a charge that is less serious than murder.

Xiao, who is 24, confessed during his trial to fatally stabbing Hiren Mohini after the two got into an argument in Aukland in January 2010. Xiao left New Zealand a few days later, but was arrested in Shanghai in June of this year.

New Zealand agreed to letting the trial proceed in Shanghai after being assured that Xiao would not face the death penalty. There is no extradition treaty between the two countries.

Xiao's family told reporters earlier this month that they have written a letter of apology to Mohini's family.

The only New Zealanders who attended Xiao's trial were the police officer in charge of the investigation and a colleague fluent in Mandarin.