Australia is confident about concluding a Free Trade Agreement with China, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says.

Negotiations between Australia and its major trading partner have dragged on for 10 years, but Ms Bishop says, while an FTA remains under negotiation, “we’re feeling more confident”.

She said Trade Minister Andrew Robb was continuing to work with China having already sealed agreements with South Korea and Japan.

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“In just over 12 months, we look like concluding three FTAs with our major trading partners,” she told Sky Agenda from Beijing, where the APEC summit is being held.

“That’s an outstanding result … it creates jobs, it drives economic growth, it gives important benefits to exporters and creates opportunities for new businesses.”

Meanwhile, Ms Bishop also said she welcomed moves by Chinese President Xi Jinping to stamp out corruption and said it shouldn’t be put in a “political context”.

Some critics have suggested that the crackdown is an attempt to purge the president’s political opponents.

“I think we should welcome Xi Jinping’s focus on (corruption),” she said.

“At the APEC summit yesterday, there was considerable discussion about anti-corruption measures and it was embraced by all the member economies there.”

Prime Minister Tony Abbott will leave for Beijing on Saturday, where he is scheduled to hold talks with US President Barack Obama and Russia’s Vladimir Putin at the leaders forum on Monday.