Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will need to delicately balance Australia's economic interests with security concerns as he prepares to travel to China.
Mr Albanese will leave for China on Saturday for a week-long tour across Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, accompanied by a delegation of Australian business leaders.
The prime minister will meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Chairman Zhao Leji to discuss global and regional issues as well as trade and tourism opportunities.
It's his second trip to China after his first in November 2023.
Australia and China have largely stabilised a tense relationship that culminated in billions of dollars worth of trade barriers against Australian products.
But issues of contention remain, including Chinese military forces performing dangerous actions towards Australian defence personnel and the continued imprisonment of Australian Yang Hengjun.
The writer was given a suspended death sentence after being charged with espionage offences, the basis of which was kept secret.
Australia has strongly denounced the sentence and called for his release.
"We will continue to patiently and deliberately work towards a stable relationship with China, with dialogue at its core," Mr Albanese said in a statement on Tuesday, but didn't mention the writer.
"I will raise issues that are important to Australians and the region."
Australia has repeatedly raised concerns about a lack of transparency over China's unprecedented military build up and denounced any security presence in the Pacific as Beijing courts influence with Pacific island nations.
Mr Albanese will travel with notable Australian business leaders to attend a roundtable with Chinese representatives from the business, tourism and sport industries.
The Business Council and China Development Bank will host the Australia-China CEO roundtable in Beijing.
Mr Albanese and Premier Li will attend, with the focus expected to be on green iron and metals, research and development, education, finance and clean energy technology.
The Australian business delegation includes the heads of major banks, mining companies, universities and insurance companies.
Business Council chief executive Bran Black said the private sector could help boost economic opportunities between Australia and China.
"It's a partnership that matters deeply to our nation's success," he said.
