🔗 Share this article

The Australian leader's strategy of pushing back against Chinese expansion in the Pacific Islands has faced another setback, with a major defence treaty with Papua New Guinea postponed due to sovereignty concerns.

Agreement Finalization Delayed Amid Sovereignty Discussions

A deal was anticipated to be signed this week, but the Australian leader is leaving Port Moresby without concluding the mutual defence treaty with his counterpart, James Marape.

The Australian PM minimized the delay, indicating that government discussions were affected by celebrations of PNG's 50th year of sovereignty. Instead, the two nations agreed to a joint communique and pledged to continue negotiations on the broader defence agreement.

Second Setback in Recent Weeks

It is the second such delay in as many weeks for Albanese. Earlier this month's regional summit, Vanuatu's government halted the signing of a bilateral deal with Australia, citing that further discussions was needed on resource investment from China.

Key Elements of the Planned Agreement

The PNG deal is expected to create joint defence arrangements in the case of a military attack, and would enable citizens of both nations to enlist in the defence forces of the partner nation.

• Combined military drills
• Enhanced technical interoperability
• New cooperation on digital defence

Diplomatic Efforts and Next Steps

Albanese has also promoted a deal for PNG to join the National Rugby League in 2028, which acts as a major diplomatic sweetener within the broader $600m partnership. He emphasized that there was no postponement to the PNG team entering the league.

Addressing media at a press conference in Port Moresby, the Australian leader stated that the wording of the defence agreement had been confirmed, but both governments required further discussion to complete their respective cabinet processes.

"This is very positive. There are no disadvantages in this at all. It is entirely advantageous for Australia and for PNG."

PNG's Perspective

The PNG Prime Minister stated that the country's military capacity was not sufficient to protect the nation and its people, making joint defence arrangements with Australia essential.

He stressed that the new treaty was PNG's proposal, not from Australia, and that it would not compromise PNG's sovereignty.

"A security treaty for Papua New Guinea would be the highest in terms of trusted partnerships we have given to any nation."

Political Reactions

Opposition representative Jane Hume called the postponement as "a significant setback for the PM", adding that it is "crucial that these deals are approached correctly and with a guarantee that they will actually come through."

Broader Implications

China has used development loans and loan agreements to build influence with nations in the Pacific, undercutting Australia's relationships with the region and straining the country's foreign policy efforts.

The Australian government believes that both agreements can still be signed in the coming months.