The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is calling on the federal government to start negotiations on a free trade deal with China.
The Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, in Australia for a four-day visit, says China wants a breakthrough on a deal within two years.
The Chamber's Chief Executive, Peter Hendy, says such a deal would put Australia at a trading advantage, having already signed an F-T-A with the United States.
"We're one of the few countries in the world that has one of those. And that will be of substantial benefit over the years for Australia, to now be in negotiations with China and having one with them eventually will be a unique position for Australia compared to it's trading partners, it's trading competitors in fact, having one with the current economic giant and the growing economic giant."