Voters should have expected more tangible outcomes from the prime minister's trip to China, the opposition says.
But a senior government minister said the six-day visit by Anthony Albanese had helped to stabilise the relationship with Australia's largest trading partner.
The prime minister landed in Australia on Friday after visiting Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu during the official visit, which included a one-on-one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
While Mr Albanese said the visit would strengthen ties between the two countries, deputy opposition leader Ted O'Brien said the trip should have been complemented with visits to nearby Asian allies.
"When you have six days in a country, I think it is fair for the Australian people to expect more from it," he told Sky News on Sunday.
"By spending six days there, not going to Japan, not going to South Korea, I think it has accentuated the problem we have with an imbalanced foreign policy."
But Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said criticism of the prime ministerial visit was "extraordinary", given work was needed to be done to repair ties with China after trade sanctions on Australian exports were lifted.
"China is our single biggest trading partner. Our resources sector relies on that relationship," she told Sky News.
"We will always act in the national interest, and often we will disagree, but this is important from the perspective of our trade and of stabilising that relationship, which, quite frankly, had broken down."
China imposed an estimated $20 billion worth of trade impediments against Australian products such as wine, lobster and beef following a breakdown in ties between the two countries at the start of the COVID pandemic.
Access to the Chinese market has recently opened up to large numbers of exports.
"This is about creating jobs and extra trade opportunities for Australia, and it's important that we maintain this vital relationship," Ms Rowland said.
Mr O'Brien said while he was not criticising the prime minister for going overseas on the foreign visit, the outcomes did not meet expectations.
"We are supportive of economic diplomacy. It's absolutely key, but Australia deserves nothing less than tangible outcomes, especially when you spend a week in country," he said.
