Senior federal opposition figures plan to highlight regional security in talks with US Vice President Mike Pence during his visit to Australia this weekend.
They will also reinforce Labor's commitment to the US-Australia alliance.
"Regional security is the key message," opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong told ABC radio on Thursday, adding she was pleased Mr Pence was also visiting South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.
Labor wanted to ensure the US remained constructively engaged in the region because that had underpinned regional security for decades.
Senator Wong dismissed the importance of leader Bill Shorten's "barking mad" description of Donald Trump prior to the US presidential election in late 2016.
"Our relationship is with the nation, our alliance is with the nation and we deal with whoever is in office," she said.
"We work with whoever is in government in the United States ... in the interests of Australia."
