China's Premier Wen Jiabao left Beijing Saturday for Australia as part of a four-nation trip that includes New Zealand, Fiji and Cambodia, the Xinhua News Agency said.

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard said last week it was likely that a trade agreement would be reached during Wen's visit that would allow China to import Australian uranium for peaceful energy generation.

Canberra and Beijing have for months been negotiating for China to buy uranium from Australia, which has 40 percent of the world's known uranium deposits.

Wen, who will be making the first visit to Australia by a Chinese premier in 18 years, is also expected to discuss economic and trade cooperation, political issues and regional security during talks with Howard.

The premier will stop in Fiji on April 5 for an economic forum between China and the Pacific Islands before heading to New Zealand. He wraps up his trip April 8 in Cambodia.

Among those joining Wen is Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Commerce Minister Commerce Bo Xilai and Ma Kai, head of China's economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, Xinhua said.