China has declared it won't "yield to colonization of ideas and values" and says Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and Senator James Paterson will need to "repent and redress their mistakes" if they want to visit the country.

The federal MPs were due to travel to Beijing in December with Labor MP Matt Keogh as part of a study tour organised by think tank China Matters.

On Friday they were told their visas had been denied.

"We regret the decision of the government of the People's Republic of China, conveyed to China Matters via the PRC Embassy in Canberra, that at this time Mr Hastie and Senator Paterson are not welcome," China Matters said in a statement on Friday.

Both Mr Hastie and Senator Paterson have been increasingly critical about the Chinese government, speaking out about attempts to exert influence in Australia and human rights abuses against Uighurs in Xinjiang province.

Earlier Senator Paterson said he believed he and his colleague Mr Hastie were barred from visiting China for raising the country's treatment of the Uighur minority group and the imprisonment of Australian citizen Dr Yang Hengjun.

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The Victorian Senator told SBS News "outspoken" views had probably led to the ban.

"Andrew and I have been outspoken about Hong Kong, about the Australian citizen detained in China, Dr Yang Hengjun, about the situation with the Uighurs in Xianjiang province and a number of other matters," Senator Paterson said.

"I can only assume the criticism Andrew and I have made of the Chinese Communist Party, that is why we are not welcome in China. "

Chinese-Australian author and blogger Dr Yang Hengjun was detained earlier this year, accused by Chinese authorities of spying.

In an earlier joint written statement, Mr Hastie and Senator Paterson said they had "looked forward to learning from the Chinese people about their culture, history and perspective during this visit".

"We are disappointed that this opportunity for dialogue now won't occur," they said.

"We are particularly disappointed that the apparent reason why we are not welcome in China at this time is our frankness about the Chinese Communist Party."

A Chinese Embassy spokesperson on Saturday issued a statement saying the country was open to "constructive dialogue and exchanges with people all around the world".

But it would "not welcome those who make unwarranted attacks, wantonly exert pressure on China, challenge China's sovereignty, disrespect China's dignity and undermine mutual trust between China and Australia".

"The colonial days of Western powers are long gone. China will never yield to colonization of ideas and values," the embassy spokesperson said

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The statement indicated the MPs would be able to travel to China if they apologised for their remarks.

"As long as the people concerned genuinely repent and redress their mistakes, view China with objectivity and reason, respect China's system and mode of development chosen by the Chinese people, the door of dialogue and exchanges will always remain open," the spokesperson said.

Mr Hastie was criticised in August for likening the global response to China's rise to the lack of preparedness in Europe for the growth of Nazi Germany.

READ MORE China 'deplores' Liberal MP Andrew Hastie for Nazi Germany comparison

The Western Australian backbencher, who chairs federal parliament's intelligence and security committee, drew a mixed reaction from his coalition colleagues and condemnation from Beijing at the time.

Senator Paterson said he will continue to speak out about the Chinese government despite being barred from visiting the country.