Britain is determined to become more active in the Indo Pacific region once it finalises its exit from the European Union, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says.
In a wide-ranging speech in Sydney, Mr Johnson reminisced about a year-long, fun-filled stay in Australia as a 19-year-old in the 1980s, before turning to the more serious topic of talking up Britain's prospects post Brexit.
Mr Johnson said Britain would strengthen its relationship with ASEAN after its split with the EU is final in 2019, as well as develop trade, military and security ties across the region.
"There is nowhere more exciting to do that than here in the Indo-Pacific; here where there is a third of the global economy, around two thirds of the global population - here where the growth is," he told a crowd of about 200 people at the Lowy Institute's annual lecture on Thursday.
"And that is why we have decided once again that the UK must be more present, more active, and more engaged in this region."
Mr Johnson said Britain aimed to have good relationships with all major countries in the region, including China, Japan and India as well as Australia and New Zealand.
And he flagged that Britain would not shy away from playing a role in maintaining order and weighing in on issues such as China's military build up in the South China Sea.
Mr Johnson, who led Brexiteers to victory in last year's referendum in Britain, also talked up the UK's prospects once its divorce from the EU is finalised in 2019.
And to anyone who thought Britain could not succeed on its own in the world, Mr Johnson invoked the classic Aussie saying: "Don't come the raw prawn with me."
In making his case for Brexit he asked the audience - which included Treasurer Scott Morrison, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and business leaders - to consider what Australia would have done if it had joined the EU as it has done the Eurovision singing competition.
"I think we can look at Australia today and after 26 years of continuous growth, and with per capita GDP 25 per cent higher than in the UK, I think we can say that it was not absolutely necessary for Australia to join the Common Market," he said.
"When we look at what Australia has achieved, we can see grounds for boundless excitement and optimism."
Mr Johnson, who is in Sydney for three days of talks with Australian government ministers, reiterated his desire that Britain sign a free trade deal with Australia soon after Brexit, saying he hoped it would be "at or near the front of the queue".
Mr Johnson's Lowy Lecture followed a day of talks with Ms Bishop and UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon and Australia's Defence Minister Marise Payne, with all ministers agreeing to strengthen trade and security ties.
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