Prime Minister Kevin Rudd believes it's important for world leaders to keep pressing China on human rights but doesn't expect it to have a significant impact.

Mr Rudd arrived in Beijing for a four-day visit and will meet Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao tomorrow morning.

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He has promised to discuss ongoing concerns about China's human rights record but admits international pressure won't change attitudes developed over centuries.

"You're not going to turn the events of centuries around in the matter of a few days," Mr Rudd told the Nine Network.

"Remember it was not all that long ago they were in the middle of the Cultural Revolution where people were being put up against a wall and basically knocked off."

Mr Rudd is joining a host of international leaders in Beijing for the Olympics opening ceremony, including United States President George W Bush.

Speaking in Thailand on Thursday before heading to China, Mr Bush firmly rebuked Beijing over its oppression of its people.

"America stands in firm opposition to China's detention of political dissidents and human rights advocates and religious activists," he said.

"We press for openness and justice not to impose our beliefs, but to allow the Chinese people to express theirs."

Mr Rudd, who spoke out against China's handling of Tibet during a visit to Beijing in April, said international opinion had been shown to have some impact on Beijing.

"Since (I raised the question of Tibet) the Chinese have recommenced a form of dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama," he said.

"I don't wish to pretend that any major breakthroughs have been achieved through that at all.

"But it's still important for us all to encourage a peaceful dialogue to produce a better outcome for the people of Tibet and that's what I'll continue to do."

The prime minister noted that Chinese authorities had offered some respite on internet censorship after an outcry by the international community last week.

"Some changes were made to that (but it's) not a perfect response by any means."

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb believes the Olympics has had a positive impact on how China has handled human rights issues.

"The fact of the matter is, pressure from international sources does have an impact," he told ABC Radio.

Mr Robb said the fact the Games were being held in Beijing had focussed attention on the issue.

"I do think that a lot of these issues would not have been prominent in the world if it hadn't been for the fact that China was hosting the Games," he said.

"And in many ways I think it has put a lot of pressure on the Chinese authorities, but also has alerted many of the ordinary citizens within China to a lot of the issues."

After meeting with Mr Wen at the Great Hall of the People on Friday morning, Mr Rudd is due to attend Olympics-related functions before the opening ceremony.

He is due to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday.