Australia's Rudd: Don't 'lecture' Pacific islands on China

TOKYO -- In the face of China's increasing clout in the Asia-Pacific region, other countries should seek better engagement rather than lecturing small island states, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd argued on Friday.

Rudd was speaking by video link on the second day of Nikkei's annual Future of Asia conference in Tokyo. His appearance came as Beijing makes its presence felt in the Pacific, after sealing a controversial security deal with the Solomon Islands in April.