Liberal MP Gladys Liu urged to consider position in light of ties to Beijing

Liberal backbencher Gladys Liu has been challenged to "consider her tenure" as she faces intense scrutiny over her ties to Beijing.

The first-term federal MP is under pressure after admitting she had been a member of associations that are linked to the Chinese government's propaganda arm.

It has also emerged that intelligence agencies warned former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull against attending a gathering with associates of Ms Liu.

Senate crossbencher Rex Patrick said the controversy surrounding Ms Liu, who holds the Victorian seat of Chisholm, had become a national security issue.

Senator Patrick said Ms Liu had reached the threshold of former Labor senator Sam Dastyari, who was forced to resign from parliament over scandals involving Chinese businessmen.

"Ms Lui hasn't been candid with the people, she hasn't been candid with the media, and indeed she hasn't been candid with the parliament," he told ABC radio.

"She must consider her tenure."

Labor attempted to suspend proceedings in Parliament's Lower House today, demanding Ms Liu make a statement to explain her connections to the Chinese organisations.

Ms Liu shook her head as shadow-attorney general Mark Dreyfus pursued the political tactic, before leaving the chamber.

Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said Ms Liu should be removed if she's found to have allegiances to China.

"There is an expectation that you have undivided loyalty to Australia and a sense of patriotism … and there's no person who has a leave pass from that process," he told 2GB radio.

"That's why we have ASIO - to have some form of oversight and to give confidence to the Australian people, that if somebody is not able to pass muster then the appropriate action would be taken to remove them."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has backed the Victorian MP, who initially claimed she could not recall being part of two Beijing-linked groups.

Ms Liu was a council member for two China Overseas Exchange Association chapters from 2003 to 2015, which were later rolled into China's United Front propaganda arm.

Mr Dastyari, who resigned from the frontbench and then from parliament after scandals involving Chinese businessmen, said Ms Liu had questions to answer.

"I don't know enough about her situation to say whether or not she should resign, that's a matter for her and that's a matter for Mr Morrison," he told Sky News.

"(But) does anyone honestly believe that if she wasn't a member of the Liberal party that the prime minister and others wouldn't be calling for her scalp right now?"

9News has confirmed that ASIO advised then-prime minister Mr Turnbull not to attend a 2018 fundraising dinner Ms Liu was involved with.

The event was organised before she was a Liberal candidate, but Mr Turnbull instead attended a different Chinese New Year event in Melbourne.

There are also reports the Liberal Party was warned by the intelligence community not to preselect Ms Liu as a candidate.

with AAP