Australia's incoming ambassador to the United States has warned America must stop throwing its allies "under a bus" if it wants to counter China's economic influence in the Asia-Pacific.
Kevin Rudd, who will take over the role in March, said America hadn't used its economy as part of its overall security strategy.
"For the future, what is the missing elements in US' grand strategy? It's called the economy, stupid," he told Bloomberg TV.
"You cannot continue to assume that there'll be collective solidarity on security questions, but on the economy, the United States is happy to throw some of its allies under a bus."
Mr Rudd said US state secretary Antony Blinken and national security advisor Jake Sullivan had done well "herding the cats" but America's "overriding protectionist sentiment" was preventing its markets opening up to Europe and Asia.
The former prime minister stressed he was speaking in his capacity as president of the Asia Society and had not begun his ambassadorial role.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong made similar comments last month, saying Indo-Pacific nations wanted things like digital trade and energy transition from US leadership.
"We need to demonstrate that we have interests we want to nurture beyond security interests," she said at the time.
"That their interest in stability and development is an interest we share - that we have skin in the game."
