CANBERRA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has promised to use the G20 summit in Argentina to advocate for the benefits of open trade.

Speaking ahead of departing for Argentina on Thursday night, Morrison said that the summit was "critically important" for the state of global trade.

"A strong multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its center has helped underwrite regional and global economic stability and prosperity," he told reporters in Canberra.

"My key message at the G20 will be that to enjoy the prosperity, security and connectedness we have today, we must protect the international system."

"That system is built on rules and openness. As Prime Minister I will prosecute this case again at the G20, as I did at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and (East Asia) summits," he added.

"The G20 has a good history of dealing with serious economic issues."

Morrison will be joined at the conference by Finance Minister Mathias Cormann after Treasurer Josh Frydenberg decided to stay in Australia to deal with domestic issues.

Morrison on Thursday flagged a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the summit, telling journalists to "watch this space."

In an earlier statement, Morrison said this G20 was "critically important to Australia as an open, trade-reliant economy."