CANBERRA (Reuters) -- Indonesia chided the United States on Wednesday for paying too little attention to Southeast Asia, warning Washington that its focus on Iraq and combating terrorism globally had opened a door to China.

Beijing's diplomats had effectively eased fears that China's rapid economic rise and growing military might posed a threat to its Southeast Asian neighbors, a senior aide to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in Canberra on Wednesday.

"There have been some contrasts drawn between the U.S. approach and the Chinese approach," presidential spokesman and adviser Dino Patti Djalal told a security conference. "There is a perception, rightly or wrongly, that the U.S. is too focused on the war in Iraq and terrorism, that it's probably not paying as much attention as it should to the region." "That has given China more diplomatic space to capitalize."

Indonesia, Djalal said, had rebuilt relations with China since Jakarta cut ties in 1967, accusing Beijing of supporting local communists in the 1965 attempted coup which brought future strongman Suharto to power.

But surveys since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq have shown anti-American sentiment is on the rise in Indonesia, which has more Muslims than any other nation, most of them moderate.

Washington has made Jakarta a foreign policy priority, last year restoring frozen arms sales and military training programs. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited in March.

But the 10-nation Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) was critical of Rice in 2005 when she skipped the region's top security forum.

ASEAN foreign ministers said her absence pointed to a lack of U.S. interest in Southeast Asia. Rice attended this year's forum.

Djalal said China had effectively used economic and trade ties, educational scholarships, investment and cultural links to build a positive relationship with Southeast Asia.

"China is spreading its soft power very, very well," he said. "It has de-ideologized its approach, it has not been heavy-handed in dealing with the region, it has refrained from commenting on internal affairs, it has presented itself as sympathetic, responsible, helpful and agreeable partner."

The coming APEC summit in Vietnam to be attended by U.S. President George W. Bush would be an opportunity for Washington to "reaffirm and enhance" its relationship with the region, Djalal said.