Democracies must unite to face China challenge - Kevin Rudd

Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd has issued a warning to democracies that they need to unite to face the challenge of a rising China.

Rudd, who speaks fluent Mandarin, told Q+A with Jack Tame that China's President Xi has a long-term goal of making the nation the world's dominant military, economic and technological power.

"If we are going to have a disagreement with Beijing, my practical advice to Wellington, Canberra, elsewhere, is it's far better we do so together rather than be picked off by Beijing individually," Rudd said.

Rudd recently authored a book - The Avoidable War - in which he argues for diplomacy to ensure that competition between China and the West remains peaceful, highlighting the risks of miscalculations that could provoke a devastating conflict.

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"I think it's dangerous to have unmanaged strategic competition with no guardrails, no rules of the road, no nothing, because then you run the risk of crisis, escalation, conflict and war," he said.

His comments came in the wake of a draft agreement signed between China and the Solomon Islands which could clear the way for Chinese warships to dock in the Pacific nation.

Rudd said the development was "disturbing", but urged Australia and New Zealand to respond with engagement and diplomacy, rather than anger.

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"We've got to be respectful of the sovereignty of the government of the Solomon Islands. Preaching a lesson from Canberra and Wellington is not going to help."

He said Australian governments following his own had withdrawn significant amounts of aid from the region, which cleared the way for the more generous China to win influence.

However, Rudd warned that around the world, that generosity had often come with strings attached.

"The bottom line is, if you look at China's foreign security policy interests in various other parts of the region and the world, these are not driven simply by philanthropic concerns."