US officials urged Australia to Join US in the "cold war" against China

Senator Rick Scott. @Getty

Republican Senator Rick Scott called on Australia to stand side by side with the US in the new cold war.

Members of the US Senate Security and Service Senate Committee added that Beijing needs to be confronted directly, not appeased.

"Every democracy needs to stand up for what it believes in."

Sen Scott told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald in an interview in Washington.

Mr. Scott added that China is a competitor of democracies rather than a competitor.

"In my view, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, has made the decision to have a cold war with the United States and democracies around the world."

He said.

Talking about his opinion on Beijing, Rick Scott said: 

"They don't believe in human rights. They don't believe in free trade. They don't believe in fair trade. They don't believe in the law. They don't want to become a decent world citizen. They are willing to take away the rights of everyone."

Mr. Scott was described as a potential Republican presidential candidate in the future.

He served as governor of Florida for 8 years before entering the US Senate last year.