He said his administration had a better relationship with China than any other government - state or federal.
"I understand that,nationally,they have some issues,but I just want to have a strong,good relationship with the countries that we work with,and China is one of those,"Mr McGowan said.
Illustration:Dionne GainCredit:
"Whilst I understand,you know,that human rights in countries around the world are of concern to all Australians,I'm aware it's a federal issue.
"I don't really engage at that level."
Mr McGowan said the federal government had"gone a bit overboard in their megaphone diplomacy".
"I think if they should,if they have criticisms or if they want to take issues up,you take them up in a more subtle way,that's what diplomacy is,"he said.
"I think some of the commentary by Andrew Hastie,comparing China to Nazi Germany,was extraordinarily bad for our relationship.
"I think[Home Affairs Minister] Peter Dutton,with some of his commentary,is unnecessarily clumsy.
"I think if you want to take up issues,take them up in a more refined way,a more subtle way."
Last month Mr Duttonaccused the Chinese Communist Party of conduct inconsistent with Australian values and said the government would call out cyber attacks,theft of intellectual property and undue influence at universities.
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Treasurer Ben Wyatt said in a social media post on Sunday that state governments provided"ballast to the Chinese relationship when the national relationship is strained",which he said was inevitable given the issues dealt with at a national level.
Mr Hastie triggered a major political debate in Augustwith an article published on Nine news sites includingThe Age,The Sydney Morning Herald andWAtoday.
"We must be clear-eyed about our position in the world,"Mr Hastie wrote.
"We are resetting the terms of engagement with China to preserve our sovereignty,security and democratic convictions,as we also reap the benefits of prosperity that come with our mutually beneficial trade relationship.
"Australia must now,somehow,hold on to our sovereignty and prosperity.
"We must balance security and trade. But most importantly,we must remain true to our democratic convictions while also seeing the world as it is,not as we wish it to be."
Mr McGowan accused him of"threatening WA jobs with extreme and inflammatory language"and said China was a good friend to Western Australia and"our largest trading partner".
Mr Hastie is scheduled to travel to China in December on a three-day study tour as part of a delegation of federal MPs.