Australia's first ambassador to China has warned that the relationship between the two countries could get even worse because of the breakdown in normal communication channels between Canberra and Beijing.

Stephen Fitzgerald, who helped to establish Australia's diplomatic ties with Mao Zedong's China in 1971, warned that relations would continue to break down unless Canberra found a way to rebuild the network of personal ties with China's leaders which has largely disappeared since the Hawke and Howard governments.