Chinese officials have emphasized that Prime Minister Stephen Harper's first visit to Beijing was too long in the making, during a high-profile trip in which Ottawa is trying to improve icy relations between the two countries.

During Harper's first-ever meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday, the Canadian leader was reminded that he had not visited the country since becoming prime minister.

Wen also drew attention to the fact that no Canadian leader had visited Beijing for five years.

"Five years is too long a time of China-Canada and that's why there were comments in the media that your visit should have taken place earlier," the premier said through an interpreter, while talking to Harper in front of television cameras.

The remarks from Wen, however, weren't the first from the Chinese government on Thursday. An hour before the diplomatic rebuke in front of the TV cameras, Chinese President Hu Jintao twice emphasized that it was Harper's first visit to Beijing.

In return, Harper noted that no Chinese leader had visited Canada over the same period of time.

The gentle prods seemed to confirm Chinese media reports that suggested Canada-China ties have eroded since Harper's election in 2006. In a recent editorial in the official China Daily newspaper, the Canadian prime minister's official visit was described as an "ice-breaking trip."

Back in Canada, Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae said Wen's statements should be taken seriously, as it is unusual for China to voice their concerns in such a public manner.

Rae also accused Harper of "deliberate disregard" towards China, which is harming Canada's relationship with the growing economic superpower.

But the prime minister says he is working to improve the relationship and to express Canada's interest in China and its culture.

On the same day that the Canadian prime minister visited the Great Wall, Harper told Hu that he had always wanted to visit China ever since he was young. He also said Canada's diplomatic ties with China go back 40 years and that he hoped his visit to Beijing would improve the economic relations between the two countries.

Later in the day, Harper told reporters at a news conference that it is necessary for Ottawa to visit Beijing more often.

There have also been a few small concessions by Beijing in recent days.

On Thursday, China notified Canada that it would be granted "approved destination status," something the Canadian tourism industry has long requested. The designation, which Harper spokesperson Dimitri Soudas said was unexpected, will permit Chinese tourism agents to market Canada as a vacation spot.

Ministers from Canada and China also signed four memorandum of understanding pledging co-operation on climate control and scientific and technical assistance.

Two days ago, China dropped its ban on the import of Canadian pork, a trade valued at about $50 million.

According to Paul Evans, an expert on Canada-China relations at the University of British Columbia, China's comments need to be taken with a grain of salt.

"This was a mild rebuke, but in the context of a pretty positive visit," Evans told CTV News Channel Thursday.

He added that the visit is a major opportunity for Canada to re-establish ties with China, the which is the second largest economy in the world.

Chinese-Canadian relations have been icy recently, as Harper hasn't shied away from China's human rights record. Perhaps the nadir of the relationship occurred when Harper declined to attend the Beijing Olympics in 2008, which was seen as a major diplomatic rebuke.

With files from The Canadian Press