Foreign News
Papua New Guinea Orders Taiwan Office Closure, China Hails ‘One China’ Victory
Papua New Guinea has announced that it will immediately close Taiwan’s representative office in the country, a decision welcomed by Beijing as another endorsement of its “One China” policy. Taiwan, however, insists its office in Port Moresby remains operational and says it was not consulted before the announcement.
The move marks the latest development in the long-running diplomatic contest between China and Taiwan across the Pacific, where Beijing has steadily expanded its influence while seeking to reduce Taipei’s international presence.
Papua New Guinea Aligns with Beijing
Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said the government had decided that the Taipei Economic Office in Port Moresby would no longer be recognised.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Tkatchenko said the “physical presence of Chinese Taipei will no longer be recognised or required within the jurisdiction of Papua New Guinea,” using the name Taiwan adopts for participation in organisations such as APEC.
He said he had informed Chinese Ambassador Yang Xiaoguang of the decision earlier this week, describing it as an important step towards strengthening relations with Beijing.
China Welcomes the Move
China swiftly praised Papua New Guinea’s decision.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing “highly commends” the move, calling it another demonstration that support for the One China principle reflects “the trend of international public opinion and the direction of history.”
China’s embassy in Papua New Guinea also described the decision as the “right choice,” saying it would strengthen the political foundation of bilateral ties between the two countries.
Taiwan Rejects the Decision
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision had been taken without prior consultation and lodged a formal protest with Papua New Guinea.
The ministry stressed that its representative office continues to operate normally and will continue providing services to Taiwanese citizens and protecting Taiwan’s interests.
Taipei also said it had contacted “like-minded countries” to seek international support, although it did not identify them.
Pacific Remains Diplomatic Battleground
The latest dispute highlights the continuing geopolitical competition between Beijing and Taipei across the Pacific Islands.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory under the One China principle and opposes any form of official recognition of the self-governed island. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and maintains that only its people can determine the island’s future.
Papua New Guinea briefly established diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1999 before recognising Beijing.
Although Taiwan now has formal diplomatic ties with only 12 countries, it maintains unofficial representative offices in several nations, including Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
The Pacific has increasingly become an arena for strategic competition as China expands its diplomatic, economic and security engagement with island nations while Taiwan seeks to preserve its remaining international partnerships.