Papua New Guinea Leader Meets Exclusively with Chinese Leader at Belt and Road Forum

Papua New Guiney Prime Minister James Marape at APEC haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on July 28, 2023. Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Prime Minister James Marape is currently in Beijing attending the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

The PNG leader met with both Premier Li Qiang and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, with Mr. Marape saying, “I have had very successful separate bilateral meetings with the premier and the president. Out of the 150 nations attending the Belt and Road forum, we were accorded this rare privilege—to meet the head of government and head of state in our own meetings.”

Following this meeting, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China released the “Joint Statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea” on Oct. 18.

The statement emphasised the progress made in their bilateral relations over 47 years of diplomatic ties, highlighting their political engagement, increased cooperation, and a “growing friendship” between their peoples.

PNG expressed its eagerness to tap into China’s economic potential and pursue industrialisation, and both governments acknowledged the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative in fostering global economic growth, with PNG committing to further participation.

The visit resulted in various cooperation agreements, particularly in the fields of development, infrastructure, climate response, education, and energy.

Of Mr. Marape’s meetings with China’s premier and president, he said, “We have successfully marketed our country as a place for the production of food and energy, and we are receiving very good response from China.”

“We are successfully deepening the trading and bilateral relationship with China, and under my watch, we will continue to expand it even further” he added.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2013 to invest in more than 150 countries and international organisations.

The impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in PNG has been mixed. While it has led to increased investment, economic growth, and improved infrastructure, it has also increased PNG’s debt burden, caused environmental damage, and led to an increase in Beijing’s influence.

Beijing’s Potential Military Ambitions in PNG

Australia and the United States are concerned that Beijing’s growing influence in PNG could pave the way for the establishment of a Chinese military presence in the country as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to invest in the country, including the backing of an $8 billion development that features a naval and military base.

While the PNG government has denied that it has any plans to allow Beijing to establish a military base in the country, some analysts believe that PNG may be under pressure from Beijing to agree to such a request.

Michael Wesley, director of the Defence Strategy at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), warned there was a “clear and present danger” of the CCP establishing a military presence.

While Jonathan Pryke, director of the Lowy Institute’s Pacific Islands Program, said there was a “real risk” of China establishing a military base, and that it is “something that Australia and the United States need to be very concerned about.”

In a 2022 60 Minutes interview with Philip Davidson, the former commander of the United States forces in the Pacific, said Beijing was trying to take control of PNG, adding “I think Papua New Guinea and, frankly, all the nations in the Indo-Pacific are at risk.”

“China does not play by the rules. They have ambition, by the middle of this century, to displace the international order and replace it with one of their own” he added.

In response, Australia and the United States are working to strengthen their security ties with PNG and other Pacific island nations in an effort to counter Beijing’s growing influence in the region.

The recent visit of the Chinese regime’s naval training ship Qi Jiguang to PNG in late Sept. 2023 for a three-day goodwill visit, and to participate in joint exercises with the PNG Defence Force, further highlights Beijing’s growing naval and military presence in the region.

PNG-China Ties

Beijing and PNG have strong economic ties, with Beijing being a major economic partner and development aid provider to PNG.

The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1976 and have since developed close ties in a range of areas, including trade, investment, infrastructure, education, and culture.

The Chinese regime is PNG’s second-largest trading partner after Australia, and a major source of investment.

In recent years, Chinese companies have invested heavily in PNG’s natural resources sector, as well as in infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and power plants.

Beijing has also provided significant development assistance to PNG, in the form of grants, loans, and technical assistance.

PNG adheres to the one-China policy, in which the independent island of Taiwan is deemed to be under Beijing’s rule.