Papua New Guinea (PNG) said it would sign a defense agreement with the US, ahead of a deal with Australia and despite opposition party concerns that it could upset China, because the Ukraine conflict shows the need for military capability.
Today, the Pacific island nation is to host visits by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and other Pacific island leaders.
While Modi’s visit is expected to focus on trade, Blinken is to sign a defense cooperation agreement (DCA) with PNG Prime Minister James Marape, the two nations have said.
Photo: Reuters
The agreement would boost PNG’s defense infrastructure and capability after decades of neglect, a government statement said on Saturday.
Highlighting domestic political sensitivity over taking sides in strategic competition between the US and China, the statement said the deal would “not stop Papua New Guinea from working with other nations including China.”
The defense agreement would also not give visiting US military personnel immunity for criminal conduct, the statement said.
“Assets developed under DCA will be owned by PNG Government,” it added.
The DCA is about building defense capabilities because border disputes are “inevitable in the future,” it said.
“Papua New Guinea does not have enemies, but it pays to be prepared,” it said, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
China, a major infrastructure provider to the Pacific islands, has sought to increase its security role, signing a security pact with the Solomon Islands that prompted criticism from the US and its allies about Beijing’s intentions.
While in PNG, Blinken and Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr are today to sign a strategic agreement, before the US state secretary heads to Micronesia to sign a similar deal tomorrow, US Special Presidential Envoy for Compact Negotiations Joseph Yun said.
Yun said he hopes to conclude a deal with the Marshall Islands soon.
“We have made progress over my three-day visit to Marshall Islands and we hope to sign an agreement with the Marshall Islands in the coming weeks,” he said.
Washington reached what are known as Compact of Free Association (COFA) accords with the three island states in the 1980s, under which it retains responsibility for their defense and provides economic assistance while gaining exclusive access to huge strategic swathes of the Pacific in return.
Renewing them has become a key part of US efforts to push back against China’s bid to expand its influence in the region. Chinese diplomats have been courting the region and China’s construction and mining companies have expanded their business in many Pacific island nations.
The Marshall Islands’ COFA is due to expire this year. Yun gave no reason for the holdup in renewing it, but a parliamentary election is expected there in November.
Yun called the deals “strategically important.”
“We’ve achieved two out of three,” he said. “Compacts are very important for the United States. It defines the relationship between us and northern half of the Pacific.”
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
RSS