Australia, Papua New Guinea Ink First Mutual Defence Pact Amid Tensions

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape signed a landmark bilateral defense treaty on Monday, establishing a mutual security commitment that has drawn sharp criticism from China. Described as Australia's first alliance-level pact beyond the 1951 ANZUS Treaty with the United States and New Zealand, the agreement marks Papua New Guinea's inaugural such treaty with its former colonial power and nearest neighbor. The deal, which requires parliamentary ratification in both nations, aims to deepen military integration and joint operations, reflecting heightened geopolitical tensions in the Pacific region.

Albanese hailed the pact as a profound step, stating during a joint press conference at Australia's Parliament House, “This treaty contains a mutual defense obligation similar to Australia's ANZUS Treaty commitments, where we declare that in the event of an armed attack on either of our countries, we would both act to meet the common danger.” He emphasized that both countries have pledged not to engage in activities or agreements that undermine the treaty's implementation. For Papua New Guinea, independent since 1975, the accord solidifies Australia as its primary security partner, enabling unprecedented collaboration between their defense forces and personnel amid shared maritime vulnerabilities.

China swiftly voiced concerns, with its embassy in Papua New Guinea issuing a statement last month following a preliminary joint declaration. The embassy argued that such pacts “should not be exclusive in nature, nor should they restrict or prevent a sovereign country from cooperating with a third party for any reason,” adding that they must avoid targeting or undermining any third party’s interests. Marape countered these apprehensions, reaffirming Papua New Guinea's foreign policy of being “friends to all, enemy to none.” He told reporters, “This is not a treaty that sets up enemies but consolidates friendships,” assuring that Port Moresby had been transparent with Beijing about elevating its security ties with Canberra.

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The treaty emerges against a backdrop of escalating influence struggles in the South Pacific, where the United States and its allies view Papua New Guinea as crucial for countering China's expanding footprint. Since 2022, Australia has intensified engagement with Pacific Island nations following Beijing's security pact with the Solomon Islands, which sparked fears of a potential Chinese naval presence. Both Washington and Canberra have ramped up military cooperation with Papua New Guinea, including infrastructure investments and training. Yet, for resource-rich Papua New Guinea, the agreement represents a delicate balance: it seeks deeper economic partnerships with China—its largest trading partner—while addressing internal security challenges like tribal conflicts and border threats from Indonesia.

This pact underscores broader shifts in Pacific geopolitics, where three island nations have switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China since 2019. China's security inroads, including police training programs in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, have heightened alarms among Western powers. Australia is pursuing similar defense agreements with Fiji, while Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Tonga remain the only South Pacific nations outside Australia and New Zealand with standing militaries. As ratification proceeds, the treaty could reshape regional alliances, prompting closer scrutiny of China's dual-track approach of economic aid and strategic outreach.

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