Gillard to raise tough topics in China

Julia Gillard. Photo / Getty Images

Julia Gillard will raise the prickly topics of human rights and North Korean aggression when she meets with Chinese leaders during her first visit to Beijing as prime minister.

Ms Gillard will arrive in the Chinese capital on Monday night for two days of meetings with political and business leaders.

In her first visit to the Asian powerhouse in more than a decade, Ms Gillard will meet with Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday and President Hu Jintao on Wednesday.

Predictably given China's status as Australia's top trading partner, economic links will be top of her agenda.

"It's a key focus of my trip to be there seeking to strengthen our economic relationship," Ms Gillard told reporters in Seoul on Monday.

But Ms Gillard has indicated she will not shy away from the topics that tend to anger China's ruling communist party, such as human rights.

"We've got a constructive relationship with China but we do have differences," she said.

Ms Gillard is also likely to raise the fate of Australians who have fallen foul of China's legal system, such as businessman Stern Hu.

Ms Gillard also says she will raise North Korea with China, the key backer of Kim Jong-il's regime.

"I'll be making the point that a lack of security in the Korean peninsula, instability in this area, is not in China's interest," she said.

Ms Gillard's visit coincides with the release of a new survey that shows nearly half of all Australians believe China will become a military threat to Australia in the next 20 years.

The Lowy Institute poll also found if North Korea provoked a full-scale war with the South, 52 per cent of Australians would be in favour of joining other allies such as the US in sending military forces to defend Seoul.

And if China supported North Korea against South Korea, even more Australians - 56 per cent - would be in favour of sending forces.

Ms Gillard will also attend some major business events, including one event to be attended by BHP Billiton boss Marius Kloppers and Rio Tinto boss Sam Walsh.

Ms Gillard she wouldn't be swayed by the businessmen's attempts to lobby for a better deal under the government's proposed carbon tax.

"I think Marius Kloppers and Sam Walsh know I'm a woman of determination."

Former foreign minister Alexander Downer on Monday said the visit would be a key foreign policy test for Ms Gillard.

"The Chinese will have no great expectations of the Gillard visit," Mr Downer wrote in News Limited newspapers.

"Their interest will be largely economic.

"They don't expect her to bring any great initiatives or even insights with her.

"A nice, pleasant protocol-dominated visit to keep the economic relationship on track is all they expect and all they want."

In Seoul on Monday Ms Gillard paid special tribute to Australia's Korean War veterans at a stirring Anzac Day dawn service.

She later met with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, with trade and security ties top of the agenda.

Injecting momentum into Free Trade Agreement negotiations was a key goal of the meetings.

"I believe we can reach agreement and I certainly think we should reach agreement. An agreement between Korea and Australia is in the interests of both our nations."

- AAP