Bill Shorten's office has firmly denied Labor changed its position on a trade deal with China after the Opposition Leader had a lunch with billionaire donor Huang Xiangmo.

Mr Shorten had a "boardroom lunch" with Mr Huang after the property developer made a $55,000 donation to the party in October 2015. At the time Labor was publicly undecided on the trade agreement with China before coming out in favour of the deal a few weeks later.

A spokesman for Mr Shorten today said the party had always sought more protections for local jobs and supported the deal once the Turnbull Government had agreed.

"Labor campaigned for a stronger China Free Trade Agreement that protected local jobs, and we eventually pressured the government to cave into our position," the spokesman told nine.com.au.

"The Opposition's position was determined by the national interest, Australian jobs and the Labor caucus."

Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten holds a photograph of Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop and chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo during Question Time in July. (AAP)

He would not confirm whether the trade deal was discussed in the meeting with Mr Huang.

The donation was disclosed at the time, the ABC reports, but details of the lunch only became public when it was revealed in a property development application to the City of Ryde.

Mr Huang owns a company looking to redevelop a shopping centre in the Sydney council area.

He has been a generous donor to both the Labor and Liberal parties, and has been described by Australian intelligence agency ASIO as closely connected with the Chinese Government.

"Under Mr Shorten's direction, Labor stopped accepting donations earlier this year from foreign entities including Mr Huang," Mr Shorten’s spokesman said.

"Turnbull and the Liberals still accept foreign donations. What are they hiding?"

It was previously revealed Mr Huang also paid a $5000 legal bill for Sam Dastyari, shortly before the Labor senator broke with his party's policy on the South China Sea.