Australia's landmark defence treaty with PNG set to swing pendulum away from China

It shows the Pacific nation views Canberra as its long-term strategic ally, says expert

- Jonathan Pearlman For The Straits Times

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape (at right) and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the signing of a mutual communique in Port Moresby on Sept 17. Both leaders could ink the new defence treaty as soon as Oct 6. PHOTO: AFP

(AFP)

Australia is set to sign its first new defence treaty in more than 70 years in the coming days, after securing a landmark deal with Papua New Guinea (PNG) aimed at countering China’s creeping influence in the resource-rich Pacific nation.

The treaty, which was approved by PNG’s Cabinet on Oct 2, comes amid growing anxieties in Canberra, Wellington and Washington about China’s efforts to transform its expanding commercial ties with Pacific nations into security ties.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his PNG counterpart James Marape could sign the treaty as soon as Oct 6.

Mr Oliver Nobetau, a research fellow and the project director of the Australia-Papua New Guinea Network at the Lowy Institute, told The Straits Times that the treaty effectively swings the strategic pendulum in the Pacific away from China and back to Australia and its Western allies.

Despite PNG’s growing economic ties with China, he said, the treaty shows that Port Moresby is willing to reject Beijing’s entreaties for closer security ties and instead views Canberra as its long-term strategic ally.

"This is bringing us back to the equilibrium in terms of regional stability," he noted. "There are a lot of uncertainties in Pacific countries as to whether to turn to China as a primary security partner. This signifies a 180-degree turn by PNG. PNG can now persuade other Pacific countries to make decisions in this direction."