Opportunity knocks in Silk Road plan

Federal Labor believes there will be lots of opportunities for Australian business stemming from Beijing's new silk road map - a mammoth infrastructure building plan.

Beijing will host an international summit in mid-May about its One Belt, One Road initiative.

It's a transnational infrastructure building project that aims to connect the nation's underdeveloped regions to Europe up through Central Asia.

The second part of the plan is to connect fast-growing south-east Asian regions to China's southern provinces with ports and railway building.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong has been on a trip to China this week.

"It's an initiative where there may well be many opportunities for Australian firms," she told ABC Radio.

"So we think we should assess on a case-by-case basis the opportunity for Australian business involvement in the projects."

Senator Wong said ruling out involvement from the get go was not sensible.

Trade Minister Steve Ciobo is expected to attend the summit in Beijing.

Australia and Beijing have been in talks since October on an agreement to link One Belt, One Road with the federal government's strategy to unlock the potential of northern Australia with major infrastructure projects.