Exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer has thanked Australia for standing up to Chinese pressure and allowing her to champion the cause of her people.

The leader of the World Uighur Congress (WUC) made the comments during an address to the National Press Club today.

Ms Kadeer also used the forum to jokingly thank the Chinese Government for giving her publicity after it had pressured the Government and the Press Club not to allow her visit, or let her speak.

The National Press Club says Chinese officials tried to persuade it not to go ahead with the speech, saying Ms Kadeer was "not credible".

The Chinese Government also tried to stop her visit to Australia and has accused Ms Kadeer of instigating deadly ethnic riots in the country's west in July.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith defended his Government's decision to grant her a visa, saying Ms Kadeer was not a terrorist.

Today Ms Kadeer was typically defiant and energetic during her address in Canberra.

"I deeply appreciate the support of the Chinese Government in raising my profile," she joked though an interpreter when asked about the Chinese pressure.

"I could not have spent millions of dollars in getting this sort of publicity, but thanks to the Chinese Government for raising my profile and informing Australians of the plight of the Uighurs."

Ms Kadeer says the number of people who were killed or injured during July riots is much higher than the 200 cited by the Chinese Government and wants the Australian Government to become involved.

"It's extremely important for the Australian Government to urge the United Nations to send an investigation team to find out what has transpired - how many people were killed," she said.

"Because the actual number of people killed, we believe, is much higher than the one reported by the Chinese media."

The Chinese embassy released a statement following the speech saying it was perfectly within its rights to make its voice heard concerning Ms Kadeer's visit.

The embassy says Ms Kadeer is a convicted criminal who is playing separatist politics with the tragic events of July 5 in Urumqi.

"At a time when the Chinese public are mourning the innocent victims from different ethnic groups in the highly violent crimes in Urumqi, the person who is responsible for the crimes is allowed to visit Australia and engage in anti-China separatist activities," the statement said.

"Rebiya has an obvious political agenda by choosing to visit Australia shortly after the July 5 incident."

Show of support

Ms Kadeer said she had received a lot of support from Australians during her visit, and she urged Australians to continue to resist Chinese pressure to limit debate on human rights abuses.

She dismissed arguments that Australia should be cautious in case it damaged its trade relationship with China, saying that the Asian giant needs Western investment as much as the West needs Chinese investment.

Ms Kadeer repeated her strong criticisms of the Chinese Government, saying it had violated human rights during riots in the city of Urumqi, in Xinjiang Province in July.

She urged the Chinese Government to stop referring to her as a terrorist and return to dialogue with her about the self-determination of the Uighur people.

Uighurs live predominantly in the west of China in the Xinjiang Autonomous Province and Ms Kadeer says the Chinese Government has pursued an active agenda of oppression and cultural genocide for decades.

The Chinese Government has dismissed her comments, saying she is a terrorist trying to foment unrest and violence and break away from China.

Ms Kadeer says the Chinese Government is "obsessed with control of a strategic and resource-rich region".

The WUC leader came to Australia to attend the showing of a documentary about her life - 10 Conditions of Love - at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

She said the film was very moving and brought tears to her eyes.