A coalition government would put Australia's relationships with Asia first, but still maintain excellent ties with Washington and London, a Liberal frontbencher says.
Christopher Pyne was commenting on Fairfax Media reports that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's top travel priority as prime minister would be to visit Indonesia, China, Japan and South Korea.
"Only after our regional and trading partners have been suitably attended to would I make the traditional trips to Washington and London," Mr Abbott has told the Lowy Institute in an upcoming paper, Fairfax reports.
Mr Pyne says Mr Abbott's comments disprove "myths" perpetuated by the Labor Party about Mr Abbott.
"You might remember that Paul Keating said that Asian leaders wouldn't talk to John Howard," he told Sky News.
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"We then entered one of the golden ages of 11 years of engagement with Asia."
Mr Abbott's comments made it very clear that the coalition's focus would be "our region first and our traditional alliance partners after that", Mr Pyne said.
"But it's not a zero sum game," he said.
"We can chew gum and walk at the same time. We can have an excellent relationship with Jakarta, Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul at the same time as having an excellent relationship with Washington and London and the rest of the European capitals. That's exactly what Tony Abbott will do."
Liberal backbencher Josh Frydenberg said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had ignored Australia's region, visiting Romania before Japan as prime minister, and Liechtenstein before Papua New Guinea as foreign minister.
"That's a pretty appalling record," he told Sky News.
"Tony Abbott is going to respond to that by getting to the region first."
