Scott Morrison has warned against taking a transactional, "zero-sum" approach to international relations in what is likely to be seen as a criticism of Donald Trump's political style.
Mr Morrison is making his first to the United Kingdom as mass rallies and protests marking the visit of US President Donald Trump clog the streets.
He warned that the global trading system was under "real and sustained pressure" and he said that the trade conflict between the US and China was putting the prosperity and living standards of billions of people at risk.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives at Farnborough airport in England and is greeted by High Commissioner George Brandis. Source: AAP
"We must do everything we can to avoid a zero-sum mindset developing, especially when it comes to global trade and commerce," he said in a speech to the Australian-UK Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.
"And we must guard against the lurch towards a narrow, transactional approach to international relations - where our relationships and the ambitions for the world we share, become nothing more than the sum of our deals."
While Mr Morrison did not direct his criticism at the US President, Mr Trump has repeatedly championed himself as a world-class deal maker.
The prime minister stressed that international relations were not merely economic, but fostered by shared experiences and history.
Donald Trump's visit to the UK has prompted mass protests. Source: AAP
But he won't be calling on Mr Trump to call off his trade tariffs on China, reminding him instead that resolving the trade conflict positively is in the interests of the international community, particularly Indo-Pacific nations like Australian.
"It has always been my hope, as an optimistic Australian, that that's what can be achieved," he said.
When asked if he was going to tell President Trump to "back off", Mr Morrison said he would speak to the US leader respectfully about the issue.
"I'd simply make the same comments that I've always made, which is (sic) that I think it's in everybody's interest for these issues to be resolved, but they're matters to be resolved between those two countries," he added.
D-Day anniversary
Mr Morrison will honour Australian and Allied servicemen who fought in the D-Day landings at a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings of World War Two in Portsmouth on Wednesday.
The Queen, British Prime Minister Theresa May, US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will also attend the event.
About two million men, including 3000 Australians, took part in the D-Day operation, which helped dislodge the Germans from Western Europe.
Scott Morrison (L) will join other world leaders in Portsmouth to honour the men who died on D-Day. Source: AAP
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Scott Morrison meets the Queen
Mr Morrison says there were 13 Australians among the 73,000 Allied troops killed or missing in action.
"At those beaches now etched in time - Utah, Omaha, Juno, Gold and Sword - tens of thousands of young men faced enemy fire and their own fear for the higher cause of freedom," he said on Tuesday.
"It is an honour to represent Australia as we honour all those who stormed the beaches and landed in Normandy on the 6th of June, 1944."
