Australia will help stitch together coalitions of countries, including working with China, to help keep free trade alive amid fears Donald Trump’s threats of hefty tariffs will tip the world into protectionism.

Less than a week after Trump put close allies on alert that they could be slapped with tariffs by threatening Canadian producers, Trade Minister Don Farrell also revealed Australia would emphasise the expensive military purchases required from the US under AUKUS to make the case for Australian commodities escaping tariffs.