The issue focused on the rate of technology transfer to China, and its role in manufacturing production for Chinese customers.

A study by industry body Australia's Computer Industry Association (ACIA) last year found that most computer systems made in Australia are being produced by machines built in China, with only a small percentage going to Western countries.

In 2014, Australian software companies sold over $3.4 billion worth of software to China, which was more than what they sold to any other country, according to software