But he made it clear on Saturday that the U.S. appreciated Australia's backing on North Korea.
Mr Pence characterised North Korea as an "urgent and most risky threat" to peace and security in the Asia Pacific.
But he brushed off questions about whether Australia would join any military strike on the regime in the future. "At this stage the support that we are providing is at the level of diplomacy", he said. "It's a very important commitment, and we thank you for restating that today".
He said the "eyes of the world are on Beijing".
During his visit he has sought to strengthen ties with USA allies in the region following Trump's criticism of China and Japan during his presidential campaign.
Rogue state warns of possible nuclear strike on our shores if we "blindly toes the U.S. line".
Pence's extensive Asia-Pacific tour produced a collection of images depicting a Pence-as-president parallel universe, from friendly consultations with leaders from across Asia, to donning a brown bomber jacket to watch North Korean soldiers along the DMZ to a speech to 2,500 cheering sailors aboard the USS Ronald Reagan in Tokyo Bay. Some reports even claimed that Donald Trump hung up on Prime Minister Turnbull.
"And we are quietly confident that China will step up to this challenge and responsibility".
The meeting between Mr Pence and the Australian business leaders comes a few months after Mr Trump tore up the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a massive regional trade deal backed by Australia and other regional neighbours.
Trump marking Holocaust remembrance vows to combat denialism
The President's fresh remarks come as an opportunity to write over the blunders which did not go down well with Jewish groups. In New Jersey, anti-Semitic attacks rose by 15 percent to 157 in 2016 from 137 in 2015. "I hate the charge".
In a joint press conference Saturday with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, held on the shores of Sydney Harbour, Pence committed the U.S.to honoring the deal. During what should have been a routine phone call, Trump ended up complaining about the arrangement, calling it "the worst deal ever", and ending the phone call early.
Mr Turnbull later said he was disappointed that details of the call had been made public.
Time and again, Mr Pence has described himself as a Christian, a Conservative and a Republican in that order.
The White House, although it has reluctantly accepted the terms of the deal, has insisted that the refugees arriving from Australian undergo "extreme vetting". "Doesn't mean we admire the agreement".
But while Mr Pence is one of the world's most powerful men, he failed to impress Penny the red kangaroo when he dropped by at the zoo to meet some local wildlife.
Vice President Mike Pence offered assurance to Australia over its ties to the US and pledged to honor a refugee resettlement deal that's been sharply criticized by the Trump administration.
The Vice-President flew into Sydney late yesterday accompanied by his wife and children.
Last week, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop indicated Australia would consider further sanctions against the hermit state. We still don't like the deal, but it's going to go through.
Pence will now spend one night in Hawaii and is slated to be back in Washington on Tuesday morning, his aide told reporters before Air Force Two landed at Pago Pago in American Samoa for refueling.
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