Australian trade minister Andrew Robb departs for China to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Beijing and to hold high-level talks on a free trade agreement with China, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Thursday.

During his visit, Robb is expected to meet with key Chinese counterparts for talks to advance negotiations for the FTA with Australia's biggest trading partner.

"After almost a decade, the FTA negotiations have now reached an advanced stage, but there are critical issues still to be worked through if we are to fulfill our objective of a satisfactory conclusion this year, and making further positive progress will be a primary focus of my visit," Robb was quoted as saying.