The United States and Papua New Guinea have signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement, which has sparked controversy in the Pacific island nation and comes as Washington and Beijing vie for influence in the region. US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister, James Marape, signed the pact, and a maritime security agreement on Monday during Blinken’s visit to the capital Port Moresby. The full text of the agreements was not released by either side, but the new defense cooperation is expected to expand US access to military and other facilities in PNG, bolstering Washington’s security ties in the South Pacific. The Pacific Island nations and territories, as well as New Zealand and Australia, constitute a region of strategic importance and have become significantly important for Washington amid rising tensions with an assertive China, which has expanded its naval capabilities in recent years.
Blinken's visit to PNG comes after US President Joe Biden cut short his Asia trip last week, which would have included Port Moresby, due to ongoing debt ceiling negotiations at home. In a statement Saturday, PNG framed its agreement with the US as an opportunity to advance its infrastructure and capacity for national defense at a time of growing global security concerns. The agreement is not about geopolitics, but rather recognizes the need to build defense capabilities because border disputes are inevitable in the future. The statement added that this did not preclude the government from “working with” other countries, including China.
China has become a significant player in the country’s economy, both as an investor and consumer of its rich natural resources. The US and PNG militaries already have a cooperative security assistance relationship focused primarily on joint humanitarian exercises and the training of PNG military personnel. However, the new agreement has sparked debate in Papua New Guinea, including over a lack of transparency from the government on what it entailed while purported leaked drafts circulated online. The pact would need Parliament’s approval and could face judicial challenges, experts say.
Meanwhile, Australia is preparing to sign its own security treaty with PNG. The US deal with PNG, especially on the heels of the Solomon Islands’ security pact with China last year, may also raise concerns about lines of alignment being drawn in a region that has long prioritized projecting strength through unity. Blinken is expected to meet with leaders of the Pacific Island Forum regional body in Port Moresby on Monday, taking Biden’s place at the gathering. The cancellation of Biden’s trip – which would have been the first from a sitting US President to Papua New Guinea – has been characterized by some observers as a potential ding to Washington’s recent bid to up its engagement with the region.