''[It's] important in terms of the wider stability, strategically, of South-East Asia,'' he said.

Yesterday afternoon, Mr Rudd delivered the 29th Singapore Lecture, where he focused on the growing global importance of the Asia-Pacific region this century.

Mr Rudd, a renowned Sinophile, singled out the rise of China as one of the key defining developments of the 21st century.

''The rise of China ... represents the great unfolding drama of this new century,'' he said.

''Will China democratise? How will China respond to climate change? How will China deal with crises in the global economic and financial systems? How will China respond domestically to the global information revolution?''

Mr Rudd said countries like Singapore and Australia could have a direct influence on how China responded to these challenges.

''How China responds to these forces will radically shape the future course of our country,'' he said.

''Australia's future will also depend on our ability to engage constructively and effectively with the countries of the Asia-Pacific. That is why I am committed to making Australia the most Asia-literate country in the collective West.

''By investing in Asian languages and cultural education in Australia's schools, my vision is for the next generation of Australians... to develop language skills which open their region to them.''

Mr Rudd returned to Australia in a commanding political position, with Monday's Newspoll showing Labor maintaining a two-party-preferred vote of 57per cent against the Coalition's 43per cent.

Mr Rudd's approval rating stayed static.

But Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson's satisfaction rating dropped from 33 to 31per cent, while his dissatisfaction rating climbed from 42 to 48per cent. AAP