Downer said that overall, the United States had done a good job with its relationships throughout Asia, "guided and helped very much by Australia" in the southeast of the region.

"Australia needs America to have a positive relationship with China," he said.

Australia has deals worth tens of billions of dollars to export liquefied natural gas to China. Earlier this month it signed an agreement that will now allow it to begin exporting uranium to China.

Downer, foreign minister for nearly 11 years, said comparisons should not be drawn between China and the old Soviet Union.

"The Chinese are much more pragmatic and engaging with the rest of the world. They are not trying to change the architecture of the world," he said.

1

2