Former Prime Minister Paul Keating pushed for stronger ties with China and for Australia to loosen ties with the United States.

"The relatively rapid rise of China will demand clarity in the points of differentiation," Mr Keating said at the launch of the new book, The China Choice, by foreign policy expert Hugh White.

The former prime minister debunked the notion that American foreign policy was almost always in line with Australia's international best interest. He warned of Australian action that could trigger the U.S. to maintain military superiority over China which could lead to military conflict.

"We need a structure that encourages China to participate in the region, rather than seek to dominate it," The Herald Sun quoted Mr Keating.

He also sought international condemnation of claims that China continues to restrict the freedom of speech, movement and religion. "The seemingly perpetual invocation of this human rights mantra attributes no moral value to the size and quality of the Chinese achievement," he pointed out.

The book warned of the dangers if the U.S. would not radically reconsider its Asia policy, taking into account China's rise as a global power. Mr White said the U.S. should instead partner with China to maintain Asia's stability.

However, Defence Minister Stephen Smith insisted that the U.S. will remain as the single most important country is Asia, while India will become one of three superpowers in the region.

"In Australia's view, the U.S. has underwritten stability in the Asia-Pacific for more than the past half-century and will continue to be the single most important strategic actor in our region for the foreseeable future," The Age quoted Mr Smith.