McGowan will discuss Palmer with Chinese (AAP)

West Australian Opposition Leader Mark McGowan plans to discuss Clive Palmer's tirade against the Chinese when he visits China for trade and investment talks next week.

Mr McGowan will arrive in Shanghai on Saturday to begin talks with leaders in mining, resources, agriculture and education.

In Beijing he will meet with officials from China's National Development Reform Commission and will also travel to Hangzhou to meet with the government of Zhejiang Province, which has been WA's sister state since 1987.

Mr Palmer controversially said on Monday that the Chinese government were "mongrels" and "bastards" who shot their own people.

He later said his comments were directed at the government, not the people of China.

But on Wednesday he said his comments were directed at a Chinese company he was fighting in court, not the Chinese government or the people.

Mr McGowan said maintaining and strengthening Chinese investment was crucial to WA's economy and he was sure Mr Palmer's comments would be mentioned during his talks with investors.

"Clive Palmer's comments are not my view and not Labor's view and I don't think they're mainstream Australia's view," he told AAP on Friday.

Mr McGowan said he would tell the Chinese not to be concerned with Mr Palmer's comments.

But he said he would not apologise, as Premier Colin Barnett had done in a letter, because he did not want the Chinese to think he was in any way connected to Mr Palmer and his comments.

"Clive Palmer has mixed his political position with his business interests," Mr McGowan said.

The Chinese trip is supported by WA's Department of State Development and follows Mr McGowan's visit of Japan in 2013.

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