Trump forces national soul-searching: ALP

An unpredictable Donald Trump has been a silver lining for Australia, federal opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles believes.

That's because the spotlight on the US-Australia alliance in recent months had created some well-needed "forced discipline".

"This environment is forcing us to address every issue on its merits with a clear-eyed view as to our national interest," Mr Marles said in an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.

"It has forced us to return to first principles and ask the question as to the contemporary relevance of the alliance now and through this century."

Mr Marles believes the security pact is still relevant regardless of whoever leads the US or Australia.

He characterised President Trump as radiating more heat than any predecessor.

"We need to consider his actions sober - not reacting to speculation, and not reacting to the particular way he does politics - but instead taking the time to consider his actions themselves," he said.

While, the US-Australian alliance was important it cannot be all consuming.

"Our alliance with the US should never distract us from dealing with other countries in the region on our own terms and having bilateral relationships which exist on their own terms," Mr Marles said.

This is particularly true of our relationship with China, which was "far from being a bad guy".

"China is not the Soviet Union. China is responsible for the single, biggest raising out of poverty of humanity that the world has ever seen," Mr Marles said.

The peaceful rise of China was in Australia's national interest.

"China's aspiration to be a regional power is a legitimate aspiration," he said.

It was time for a federal government to spell out Australia's national interest thoughtfully, clearly and with confidence.

"Australia needs needs to articulate that response, not as a licensee of anybody else, but on our own terms," Mr Marles said.