“US-Papua New Guinea Defense Agreements: Impact on South Pacific Balance and China’s Influence”

The agreements signed on May 22 between the United States and Papua New Guinea (PNG) modify the strategic balance of the South Pacific, coveted by China, analyzes the regional press. These security agreements “will not only take the bilateral relationship to a whole new level, but help transform the Pacific region. This despite growing domestic opposition and fears that PNG is selling its sovereignty.”, reported the Post Courier, first daily of the country, the day after the signing.

The agreement consists of a defense cooperation pact and a maritime security agreement. The two countries have until now had relations of cooperation and assistance in the field of defense limited to training and joint exercises for humanitarian assistance.

For the Jakarta Post, it is clear that Washington and its allies are seeking to dissuade Pacific island nations from building security ties with China, a growing concern in the context of tensions around Taiwan: “But according to leaders of the Pacific Islands, whose territories span 40 million square kilometers of ocean, it is sea level rise caused by climate change that is their most pressing security priority.”

Jakarta could take a dim view of this agreement