Australia and PNG sign security communique, limiting China gains

Michael Heath, Bloomberg News on Sep 16, 2025

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Australia and northern neighbor Papua New Guinea have agreed on a new security pact timed to the Pacific nation’s 50th anniversary of independence, strengthening Canberra’s push to curb China’s influence in the region.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his counterpart James Marape signed a joint communique in Port Moresby on Wednesday for a PNG-Australia defense treaty. The text of the deal has been agreed and will be signed following “Cabinet processes in both countries,” Albanese said.

“This treaty will elevate our relationship to the status of an alliance,” Albanese said at a joint news conference with Marape. “It will be Australia’s first new alliance in more than 70 years.”

Signing a communique instead of the treaty itself appeared awkward after Vanuatu last week delayed a new pact with Canberra. Albanese rejected claims he was rushing deals to sideline China, stressing PNG had sought the treaty, not Australia.

“Democracies aren’t the same as authoritarian regimes,” he said. “They go through processes. We respect them” he said, adding, “we have agreed on the words in this treaty.”

The core principles were set out in a statement and include:

• that an armed attack on Australia or Papua New Guinea would be a danger to the peace and security of both

• expansion and modernization of the defense relationship, including by setting out a shared ambition to establish a recruitment pathway for Papua New Guinea citizens into the Australian Defence Force

• strengthening and expanding defense cooperation through enhanced capability, interoperability and integration

Albanese on Tuesday joined Marape, Prince Edward from the U.K. and other officials and locals to celebrate 50 years since the Pacific nation gained independence from Australia.

The security deal is significant for Australia as it aims to keep South Pacific nations within the strategic orbit of the democratic bloc. Albanese has been ramping up diplomatic efforts in the region after China signed an agreement with the Solomon Islands in 2022.

PNG has been central to Australia’s security since federation in 1901. The first serviceman killed in World War I died there and it was on the Kokoda Trail that Australian and PNG troops fought to stop Japanese forces from reaching Port Moresby.

More broadly, Australia is trying to build a string of alliances to keep Pacific nations on its side in order ensure that sea lanes to the nation’s northeast and to key ally the U.S., remain open in the event of conflict.