Rice says US has not neglected Asia

In an interview on Australia's ABC television, Rice dismissed comments from former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage that Washington was so distracted by the war in Iraq that it was ignoring Asia to the strategic advantage of China.

"The United States has been extremely involved in Asia," Rice was quoted by AFP as saying in the interview broadcast late Wednesday.

The US had good and improving relationships with Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand and one of the strongest relationships with China of any administration, she said.

"We have very strong economic relationships, security relationships, we are expanding our cooperation with organisations like APEC and ASEAN.

"I think the administration has put a lot of time and energy into Asia and it is paying off."