The United States can learn from Australia's tough stance against Chinese coercion, President Joe Biden's pick for ambassador told a US Senate committee.
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Australia "has been a model" in its response to China as tensions in the region heightened, says Caroline Kennedy, a former US ambassador to Japan and daughter of president John F. Kennedy.
The US needed a "more visible" presence in the Indo-Pacific as pressure mounts in the Solomon Islands over a Sino-security pact, Ms Kennedy said.
Australia has a very active diplomacy embassy in every Pacific island nation.
"The fact that we are reopening our embassy in the Solomon Islands can't come soon enough," she told a US Senate committee.
"We can do more and we should do more and we must stay engaged. This is a vital region."
Ms Kennedy says tensions in the region have heightened since her tenure in Japan between 2013 and 2017, with the AUKUS alliance providing deterrence initiatives even ahead of the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines.
"Australia most recently has been challenged by Chinese economic coercion, and I think that the US can learn a lot from their response," she said.
"Pushing back on Chinese economic coercion is something the US is going to have to support our allies and those that are suffering from it like Australia.
"The US and Australia, by working closely together across all aspects of the relationship whether they're diplomatic, whether they're regional, have a real opportunity to create and sustain a connected and secure Indo-Pacific."
It follows Britain, the United States and Australia agreeing to cooperate on hypersonic weapons and counter-hypersonics under the trilateral AUKUS alliance.
Leaders of the three countries have also committed to expanding information sharing and deepening cooperation on defence innovation.
Ms Kennedy also pledged to work with Australia on how to combat the impacts of climate change and transition towards clean energy as the Biden administration continues to push the Morrison government to adopt a stronger emissions reduction target.
Committee chairman Senator Bob Menendez said Australia was "a microcosm of the global climate crisis" following bushfires and floods.
Ms Kennedy said it was important the US work with international partners - like Australia, Japan and India through the Quad partnership - to strengthen supply chain resilience and security as well as multilaterally tackle issues like climate change and COVID.
President Biden nominated Ms Kennedy to be his next envoy to Australia in December.
The US Senate still needs to confirm her ambassadorship.
Australian Associated Press
