Victoria's secret deal with China's infrastructure program should be released to the public at some point, Labor leader Bill Shorten says.
Labor premier Daniel Andrews is under fire from the federal government for signing up to China's Belt and Road Initiative in a secret memorandum of understanding.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Mr Andrews, who is fighting an election, should be honest with his voters about what he's signed up to.
Mr Shorten says the prime minister was trying to win votes in a state election but believed state and federal governments should be more transparent.
"I think that's a fair point in terms of putting the information out there," Mr Shorten told reporters in Perth on Thursday.
When asked if the Victorian deal should be released, Mr Shorten said: "I think over time, agreements that governments enter into - MoUs - should be available to the public."
Mr Andrews said the deal Victoria signed was a non-binding one, consistent with other state and federal documents.
"There's no departure from the convention, which is why I think you've got the federal government out there today having to explain why their MOU, which I think they signed only a few months ago, hasn't been made public either," Mr Andrews told reporters.
WA's Labor premier Mark McGowan said his Liberal predecessor Colin Barnett signed "numerous" memorandums of understanding on Chinese infrastructure dating back to 2011.
"I don't know why the issue of Daniel Andrews is being treated differently to that of Colin Barnett seven years ago - I think that's an important question," he told reporters.
Centre Alliance's Rex Patrick is preparing to spark a Senate inquiry into the deal, as well as Australia's approach to China's infrastructure plans, when the upper house sits in Canberra on Monday.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Thursday, marking the first visit from an Australian foreign minister to China in three years.
The visit marked a thawing of relations between the two countries, which have been strained over allegations of Chinese interference in Australia's politics and cyber-hacking.
"We will walk together in this relationship as we continue its development with an approach of mutual respect," Senator Payne said in Beijing.
