Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has come out in support of the China free trade agreement, putting him at odds with his federal colleagues.

As Opposition Leader Bill Shorten continues to raise concerns about the deal, Mr Andrews enthusiastically embraced it during Question Time in State Parliament.

"The Chinese free trade agreement is good news for Victorian jobs and I support it," Mr Andrews said.

The Premier acknowledged he had a different stance to federal Labor.

"The leader of the National Party expressed some surprise that a Victorian politician could disagree with his federal colleagues — well yes, yes," Mr Andrews said.

"And wouldn't we be in a stronger position if those opposite stood up and found fault with Mr Abbott and his cutbacks and closures."

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill on Monday also backed the trade deal.

"We support the China-Australia free trade agreement ... it's a great way for us to underscore the fact that South Australia is open for business with China," he said.

Mr Weatherill had previously said state safeguards were "ample" to ensure the SA workforce and SA safeguards were applied to any project built in the state.

Pressure on Shorten from Labor backbench

Mr Shorten wants Prime Minister Tony Abbott to come to the negotiating table to discuss strengthening protections for workers in the agreement and Australian jobs.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 3 minutes 55 seconds 3 m 55 s The issue of xenophobia has been raised by Tony Abbott

Pressure is building on the Opposition Leader from his backbench to insist on changes to the China trade deal.

WA senator Glenn Sterle has joined fellow Treaties Committee member Kelvin Thomson in saying his party should oppose it unless changes are written into the agreement.

"I think it's a croc the way it's written at the moment," Senator Sterle told ABC Radio.

"I cannot and will not support the Chinese free trade agreement while there is no mandatory testing of the labour market and while we're dropping standards to bring in tradesmen like joiners, carpenters, mechanics, machinists."

Mr Abbott told reporters on Tuesday that "there is nothing to negotiate".

"This is our economic future and it must go through the Parliament unaltered as quickly as possible," he said.

"The only person standing in the way of jobs and the China-Australia free trade agreement is Bill Shorten, who is taking instructions from his union masters and the CFMEU."

Trade Minister Andrew Robb warned last week China would "walk away" from the deal if Labor voted it down this year.

The Government insists the agreement will create jobs and drive economic growth by improving access to the growing Chinese middle class through tariff reductions.