China has urged the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, to study its ''tremendous progress on human rights'' and ''show basic respect'' as she begins her most testing outing on the international stage.

Ms Gillard, who arrived in China last night for her first visit in a decade, said she was confident of extending economic and practical co-operation while pressing human rights concerns.

But returning to a pragmatic, Howard-like balance will not be easy in an environment where the Chinese state's willingness to assert its own political interests appears to be growing at least as fast as the Chinese economy.

Over Easter police stepped up a broad crackdown against the country's rapidly growing civil society, by arresting at least three dozen Christians and detaining hundreds in their homes as they tried to gather without permission for Sunday service.

The United States took the unusual step of publicly signalling that it would press China on ''the recent negative trend of forced disappearances, extralegal detentions, and arrests and convictions, as well as rule of law ... and other human rights issues of concern''.

Asked about recent signs of a crackdown in China at a media briefing yesterday, Ms Gillard said: ''Of course I'm concerned about recent reports.''

She said she would be seeking reassurances that ''China is not taking a backward step''.

The absence of rule-of-law in China has affected several Chinese Australians, prompting Ms Gillard yesterday to say she would ''vigorously'' defend the rights of Australian citizens.

Beijing demands Gillard's respect

Whilst thuggee Tony Abbott will doubtless be delighted with Big Red's self-righteous, hypocritical performance, in seeking to lecture the Chinese on human rights abuses, methinks lady lard-arse is taking her role as spokesperson for the US a bit too seriously .....

Whilst I understand that every awstraylan politician regards it as their principle duty to be seen to be supporting Uncle Sam at every conceivable opportunity, it's a bit rich for the 'goodies' to be lecturing anyone, just as Wikileaks unpacks its latest load of soiled diplomatic washing regarding america's criminal behaviour at Guantanamo Bay; replete with false information about awstrayla's David Hicks & Mamdouh Habib.

Certainly the awstraylan government didn't exactly cover itself in glory in trying to defend the rights of its citizens when they were being tortured by our 'special friends' in Cuba & I'm struggling to remember anyone from Big Red's outfit who objected at the time either.

Coming on the back of Obama's casual dismissal of Bradley Manning's human & legal rights, reminiscent of Big Red's public condemnation of Julian Assange for his actions in exposing the deceit & hypocrisy of the world's elite, Big Red's lecture to the Chinese is all the more laughable.

But still, given the reaction of Big Red's mob to Marrickville Council's decision to embrace the BDS, I suppose we should hardly be surprised at the lady's readiness to scream that 'the sky is falling' at our Chinese neighbours .... it's certainly easier than taking-on Zionists & besides, political expediency requires no principles.