The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, says he's confident South Pacific nations will choose the United States as an ally over China, despite Beijing's growing clout in the region.

Pompeo was speaking after meeting with his Australian counterpart, Julie Bishop who's visiting the US.

He said the region is like most places in the world which understand the enormity of having an ally which has consistently projected democratic values.

And he said that would ultimately prevail not only in the South Pacific but around the world.

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, who held talks with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne in California, said both the United States and Australia agreed on the need for a free and open Pacific region "where nations large and small are treated with respect for their territorial integrity, for their sovereignty, their sovereign decisions.

[Source:Reuters]