Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has promised he won't be deterred from discussing human rights when he makes his Olympics visit to Beijing.
Mr Rudd will head off tonight for his visit to the Chinese capital where he is due to meet President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.
As the clock ticks down to Friday's opening ceremony, protesters are continuing to evade the security clampdown and find ways to protest China's humans rights record.
Mr Rudd told reporters today he would not be put off by the sensitivity of the issue during this important time for China.
"That's part of a mature, responsible relationship with the Chinese government," he said.
"We will always raise our human right concerns with them.
"I've done it in the past, I've done it privately, I've done it publicly, I'll be doing it at again."
While the human rights questions continues to cast a shadow over China's hosting of the Games, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith stressed that there had been substantial improvements in freedoms over the decades.
"I think it's true to say that in the sweep of time, over the last quarter of a century, the last 30 years, China has made substantial improvements," he told Sky News.
"Not just in human rights, but in other areas, such as trying to spread the economic benefits. But it is the case, regrettably, that we do continue to have very significant concerns."
Australia continues to stand by the view that the Olympics will be good for China and broaden its engagement with the international community.
"I think it is important to make this point, the Olympic Games, the Olympic spirit, is an unambiguously good thing for China," Mr Smith said.
When Beijing was awarded the Games seven years ago, there were widespread expectations the Olympics would help China improve its long-tarnished human rights record.
But human rights campaigners fear any changes in the attitudes of Chinese authorities may only last as long as the three-week influx of visitors for the Games.
