‘Family first’. Australia urges Papua to conclude security treaty as soon as possible

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged Papua New Guinea during his visit to that country to “quickly conclude” with his country a new security agreement, apparently aimed at curbing China’s “expansion” in the region.

In the first foreign head of government speech before Papua New Guinea’s parliament, Albanese urged the small, resource-rich country to “quickly conclude” a security pact with his country, saying that both countries need “a pact based on deep trust and a family pact in regional security” .

Albanese hailed the “close historical ties” between Australia and its largest Pacific neighbor, saying the bilateral security treaty “marks our shared history of service” and sets an “example for others”.

Since his election last May, Albanese’s centre-left government has been working hard to strengthen relations with Australia’s Pacific neighbors to block the way for China, which is working to expand its influence in the ocean.

And in 2022, the Solomon Islands signed a security agreement with Beijing, raising Western fears that such agreements would pave the way for a permanent Chinese military presence in the region.

Australia has a long relationship, especially in defense matters, with Papua New Guinea, which was an Australian territory that gained independence in 1975.

Source: AFP + Bloomberg