Speaking to reporters during a scheduled visit to Beijing on Tuesday, Mr Keenan also confirmed the Australian government would soon ratify its bilateral extradition treaty with China, almost a decade after it was first signed, as the two countries sought to strengthen law enforcement cooperation on anti-corruption, money laundering, financial crimes and illicit drugs.

Mr Keenan, who met with Chinese Minister for Public Security Guo Shengkun in Beijing on Tuesday morning, said he had obtained assurances that the case would be dealt with in accordance with the law and that full consular access would be maintained for the four Australians implicated.

"I raised the fact that the Australian government maintains a keen interest in this matter, we will continue to follow the progress of this case as it winds through the Chinese legal system," Mr Keenan told reporters in Beijing.

"I don't think it's very helpful for me to go into any further details publicly."

Among the assurances sought by the Australian government has included that Chinese authorities strictly follow their own laws, which stipulate suspects should only be held for a maximum of 37 days with no charge.

The extradition treaty between Australia and China was first signed in 2007 but never ratified. Despite strong concerns raised by the Law Council of Australia, the ratification process was revived last year but then put on hold once more when July's federal election was called.

A joint parliamentary committee will decide later this month whether it will recommend the government ratify the treaty.

"We look forward to having that treaty ratified in the not too distant future," Mr Keenan said.

China has sought to advance discussions on bilateral extradition treaties with numerous Western countries in the hope it provides even greater leverage when pursuing graft suspects who have fled overseas.

Australia, meanwhile, is hoping to secure greater assistance from China to stem the trade of illicit drugs, particularly crystal methamphetamine – also known as "ice" – flowing from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. Mr Keenan will meet with senior government officials from Guangdong on Wednesday and Thursday.

"To date, co-operation with China on law enforcement has achieved some significant outcomes including stopping illegal narcotics and precursors from reaching our streets," Mr Keenan said in a statement before his visit to China.

Also on Tuesday, Mr Keenan witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC and the China Anti-Money Laundering Monitoring and Analysis Centre, which will support greater sharing of financial intelligence to combat transnational financial crimes including corruption and money laundering.