Mr Palmer issued what he called a "genuine and sincere" apology to the Chinese ambassador on Tuesday, for remarks he made on ABC TV last week, describing the Chinese government as "bastards" and "mongrels" who "shoot their own people".

Federal Coalition MPs were quick to criticise Mr Palmer, but Premier Campbell Newman demurred from commenting on the issue.

But on Wednesday, Mr Walker broke the government's silence by throwing a small amount of shade Mr Palmer's way, while praising the "strengthening science relationship" between Queensland and China.

"China, one of the world's economic and scientific superpowers, provides Queensland's largest merchandise export market and is the second largest foreign investor behind the US," he said.

"It is the state's second largest source of international visitors behind New Zealand.  Also, 18,449 international students enrolled to study here last year, representing Queensland's largest market for international students.

"We are proud that China is now a major science and technology research partner for our state. Numerous joint agreements have been entered into or renewed since July 2013," he added, going into detail about some of the most recent agreements, including the establishment of a joint research centre between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Queensland Brain Institute.

Mr Walker said Mr Newman had joined him in a meeting with the Chinese Vice Minister for Science and Technology, Cao Jianlin, on Tuesday and had made it "very clear" that Queensland did not agree with Mr Palmer.

"This government is not in the business, as some in the political world elsewhere represented in this chamber today, of casting unpleasant and untruthful slurs on one of our major trading partners and the nation with one of the longest and most distinguished traditions in medicine and scientific research," Mr Walker said.

"Research with China will lead to better health for Queenslanders and that is the name of our game."