Anthony Albanese has taken his Pacific charm offensive to Papua New Guinea, calling for a 'family first' approach to security in a veiled reference to growing Chinese influence in Australia's neighbourhood.
KEY POINTS
Hours earlier, Mr Albanese became the first foreign leader to address PNG's parliament, continuing a jet-setting first year in office which has already included multiple meetings with Pacific Island leaders. "I'm very confident there in the next couple of years, we will build an even stronger relationship between our two nations," he said.Mr Marape denied his Australian counterpart had raised the issue of Beijing's influence in the region, insisting: "PNG's China relationship remains PNG's China relationship".
The comments were made against a backdrop of Beijing's increasingly assertive posture in the Pacific, which is experiencing an influx of Chinese investment. "The strategic environment that we face is being shaped by an assertive China. Part of the process that we're seeing is a China that is very active in the Southwest Pacific."Map graphic showing distance from PNG to the Australian-controlled Talbot Islands, compared to distances between key landmarks in major Australian cities.
"We don't want to see PNG destabilise as a country, and then have to somehow restore stability," he said.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Anthony Albanese to push ‘family-first’ security treaty in address to Papua New Guinea parliamentAustralian PM to call for ‘a swift conclusion to negotiations’ to treaty and say both countries should ‘work as equals with our fellow Pacific states’
Read more »
Anthony Albanese flies into poultry dispute in PNGPapua New Guinea’s move to cease issuing import permits for Australian raw poultry days came just ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Read more »
Daniel Andrews shrugs off questions about barbecue he and PM attended at Lindsay Fox’s mansionCoalition demands answers about Anthony Albanese’s meeting with billionaire following helicopter ride reports
Read more »
PM set to sign new defence treaty with Papua New GuineaPrime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to sign a new defence treaty with Papua New Guinea when he visits the Pacific nation this week.
Read more »
PM Albanese visiting PNG is ‘a great honour’Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific Michael McCormack says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s planned visit to Papua New Guinea comes as a 'great honour' with 'great responsibility”. Mr Albanese will visit PNG to strengthen ties between the two nations and show support for a PNG-based rugby team in the NRL. “We are speaking as one with the Pacific family with our Pacific nations indeed,” Mr McCormack told Sky News Australia. “This is so important for the country, for Australia as well as Papua New Guinea. “I’m sure that this security agreement follows on from the absolute deal we did with Vanuatu recently.”
Read more »