Beijing piles pressure on PNG over stalled Australian defence treaty after Albanese visit

China has warned Papua New Guinea and other Pacific Island nations not to sign up to security details which “target any third party” and has urged them to instead focus on “independence and development”.

On Wednesday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrapped up a three-day visit to Port Moresby where he failed to secure a long-awaited alliance with PNG which would elevate relations to an ANZUS level.

Mr Albanese and his PNG counterpart James Marape instead signed a hastily drafted communique outlining the principles of the defence treaty, which also prevents China striking a similar deal.

Speaking in Beijing after Mr Albanese flew out of PNG, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Pacific Island countries faced “top challenges of tackling climate change and accelerating development”.

“China welcomes closer cooperation between Pacific Island countries (PICs) and other countries. We actively help PICs grow the economy and deliver better lives for their people.”

“That being said, we believe that cooperation between PICs and any country should put the independence and development of PICs first and uphold openness and inclusiveness, and not to target any third party,” he added.

PNG’s Prime Minister has revealed the country’s Defence Minister Billy Joseph will soon embark on a “road show” to consult with Beijing and other diplomatic partners about the stalled Australian deal and explain “exactly what this is all about”.

The Nightly on Wednesday revealed that just three days ago PNG’s Prime Minister also met with a visiting special envoy of China’s President Xi Jinping, where both sides are said to have had “fruitful exchanges on bilateral relations and practical cooperation”.

Last week Mr Albanese also failed to secure a sweeping defence and economic deal with Vanuatu ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum in Solomon Islands, a nation which struck its own security deal with China in 2019.