Scott Morrison has declared his week-long visit to the US – his first as prime minister – will lay the foundations for another hundred years of mateship between Australia and America.

Arriving at the Joint Base Andrews on Thursday night Washington time, the Australian prime minister said the visit would improve the defence, security and economic partnership between the two countries, and joint activities in the Indo-Pacific region and the Middle East.

The damaging trade dispute between the US and China and Australia’s decision to contribute to a US-led mission in the Strait of Hormuz hang over Morrison’s visit. Regional tensions have escalated since drone strikes were launched against Saudi oil facilities last Saturday, with the US insisting Iran is responsible.

Morrison said it was a “great honour and privilege” to be welcomed to the US capital by the Trump administration to celebrate a century of close diplomatic ties, and the trip, which includes a program in Chicago and New York, would lay the foundation “for another 100 years”.

“There are many larger, I suppose, more powerful friends that America has, but they know they do not have a more sure and steadfast friend than Australia,” Morrison said.

The prime minister was welcomed on arrival at Andrews by the US ambassador to Australia, Arthur Culvahouse, and his wife, Melanie Lyell-Aiken, as well as the assistant secretary of state for east Asian and Pacific affairs, David Stilwell.

The official program will begin on Friday Washington time, with a meeting with the US president, Donald Trump, and members of the cabinet.

Scott Morrison and his wife, Jenny, arrive at the Andrews base. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

A senior Trump administration official has told reporters the two countries would also explore collaboration on space exploration and rare earths, Reuters reported.

“We are going to have some announcements on a MOU between Nasa and the Australian Space Agency on returning to the moon by 2024 and to explore new areas of mutual interest in things like automation and robotics,” the official said.

A plan would also be announced on improving the “security and supply of rare earths in a way that is mutually beneficial to both countries”.

The official described Australia as “an absolutely essential partner” in Trump’s “free and open Indo-Pacific vision”.

In a sign that the Americans are rolling out the diplomatic red carpet since Australian voters re-elected the Coalition in May, the Trump administration has also offered Morrison a state dinner – the first for an Australian prime minister since the Howard era.

With Australia keen to encourage US involvement in the Indo-Pacific to balance China’s presence, Morrison has been at pains to say Australia is an ally that is steadfast, and pulls its weight.

Before leaving Australia, he declared Australia was a partner the US could rely on – “a partner that pulls their weight in the alliance”. Morrison said he had a good personal relationship with Trump but the alliance was “far more than that”.

Australia’s decision to contribute to the mission in the Strait of Hormuz aimed at protecting freedom of navigation in the Gulf region demonstrated that it was “always prepared to do the heavy lifting when it comes to our alliance partnerships”, he said.