Albanese landed in the early hours of Sunday morning ahead of days of high-level talks in Shanghai and Beijing.
He was greeted warmly on the tarmac before being whisked to his first engagements.
"Pleased to be in Shanghai, marking the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister since 2016," Albanese said.
"I look forward to continuing the dialogue between our two countries over the coming days."
The detention of Yang without conviction for almost five years will be one of the topics raised with Xi when they meet in the Great Hall of the People on Monday.
Yang is being held in a Beijing detention centre awaiting the verdict of a 2021 closed-door trial on espionage charges. The 58-year-old's family fears he is dying.
"I'll be saying that Dr Yang's case needs to be resolved and I'll be speaking about his human rights, the nature of the detention and the failure to have transparent processes," Albanese told reporters in Darwin on Saturday, shortly before his plane departed for Shanghai.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry this week defended Yang's prosecution, saying his case had been handled in strict accordance with the law.
Albanese's visit, the first of an Australian prime minister since 2016, signals an improvement in strained relations between the two nations since Labor was elected last year.
Cheng was freed and deported last month after three years in a Beijing detention for breaking a government-imposed embargo by a few minutes. Her release was interpreted as a Chinese concession ahead of Albanese's visit.
Albanese will on Tuesday meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang, whose message of congratulations soon after the prime minister's election victory on May 21 last year raised the prospects of a reset in bilateral relations.
Beijing has previously refused top-level ministerial contacts between the two countries.
From the outset of his prime ministership, Albanese had demanded that China immediately lift what he described as "unjustified" official and unofficial trade barriers costing Australian exporters $20 billion a year.
Those barriers have since been substantially reduced and now cost around $2 billion.
Albanese on Saturday credited his government's different approach toward China for what he describes as "stabilising" the relationship, after nine years of conservative rule in Australia.
"My approach towards this relationship has been patient, deliberate and measured, making sure that both of our interests are put forward because that is the way that good diplomacy works," Albanese said.
"The fact that it is the first visit in seven years to our major trading partner is a very positive step, and I look forward to constructive discussions and dialogue with the president and the premier during my visit to Shanghai and Beijing," he added.
China is concerned by the level of restrictions placed on Chinese investment in Australia due to growing security concerns.
About 400 Australian executives who do business with China are expected to attend a lunch with Albanese in Shanghai on Sunday. Many urge Australia to ease restrictions on Chinese investment.
"Chinese investment shouldn't be a dirty word," David Olsson, president of the Australia China Business Council, told The Australian Financial Review newspaper.
Albanese will visit Shanghai to attend the opening of the China International Import Expo trade fair where more than 200 Australian companies will be represented.
During the three-day visit, Albanese will focus on reinvigorating the China-Australia free trade agreement, resolving the remaining Chinese trade bans and finding agreement on how to settle future trade disputes, his office said.
Trade Minister Don Farrell, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and an Australian business delegation are traveling with him.
China is Australia's largest export market, particularly for iron ore, natural gas and critical minerals such as lithium.
Albanese has signalled that Australia won't back China's bid to join the free trade agreement known as the 12-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
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2023-11-04 14:07:24Z
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