Australia's foreign minister has announced her country will contribute more than 40 million US dollars over the next four years to boost maritime security in Southeast Asian nations.

Penny Wong spoke with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo during a three-day special summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Melbourne.

In a thinly veiled reference to Beijing's growing military presence in the South China Sea, Wong said her country "sees claims and actions that are inconsistent with international law".

Wong said: "Australia is working with ASEAN to increase resilience to coercion and to ensure waterways that serve us all remain open and accessible."

Leaders of Southeast Asian nations have gathered in Melbourne for the summit hosted by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Maritime security amid China's increasing presence is expected to be high on the agenda.