Prime Minister Anthony Albanese leaves for Port Moresby on Sept. 15 to be part of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Golden Jubilee celebrations but also with hopes of returning with a sought-after defence pact with Australia’s closest neighbour.
The PNG is one of only three Pacific nations with its own military, the other two are Fiji and Tonga.
Although numbers are small—an Australian Army estimate puts the number of serving PNG military at just 4,000—a defence treaty with the country’s closest neighbour would serve as a much-needed counterpoint after a proposed agreement with Vanuatu ran aground.
Vanuatu ministers hinted at concerns that inking a deal with Australia could affect its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), one of its major creditors….
What to Expect From Australia’s Potential Defence Pact With Papua New Guinea
