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Papua New Guinea

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Papua New Guinea. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Port Moresby

Head of State

King Charles III

Head of Government

Prime Minister James Marape

Boats ply the waterway in Buka, Papua New Guinea. Many Pacific Island communities rely on boat transport for movement. Photo: AFP

Pacific nations

Pacific Islanders skip food, medicine amid global fuel shortage from Iran war

Pacific nations are the most reliant on diesel for power generation worldwide. They imported about 2.2 million tonnes of fuel in 2025.

22 Apr 2026 - 9:37AM

Indonesia

Indonesian rights body, military clash over reports of Papua civilian killings

20 Apr 2026 - 2:19PM

Pacific nations

Australia pledges US$1.7 million in aid after Cyclone Maila kills 11 in Pacific

13 Apr 2026 - 1:26PM

Indonesia

Indonesia earthquake kills 1, triggers tsunami waves

The 7.4-magnitude quake hit at a depth of 35km in the Northern Maluku Sea off ⁠Indonesia’s Ternate island.

2 Apr 2026 - 6:11PMvideocam

Indonesia

Australia, Indonesia sign security deal in ‘watershed moment’

Canberra has signed a series of defence, police and aid deals across the Pacific region to try to boost its influence and limit China’s.

6 Feb 2026 - 12:55PM

Indonesia

World’s oldest cave art discovered in Indonesia

A handprint dating back at least 67,800 years is over a thousand years older than hand stencils in Spain that are attributed to Neanderthals.

22 Jan 2026 - 7:51AM

US-China relations

US denies Indo-Pacific retreat, says aid is being recalibrated to counter China

Washington argues that targeted assistance and partnerships will deepen regional ties and deliver longer-term economic and security gains.

16 Dec 2025 - 6:24AM

A toll booth at the Clark Freeport Zone in the Philippines, a sprawling managed economic zone that has received significant US backing through development initiatives. Photo: Handout

China-Australia relations

Call for ‘Pacific Eyes’ intelligence body to offset China’s growing presence

Think tank proposes dedicated alliance – initially with Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji – to avoid being ‘blindsided’.

21 Oct 2025 - 10:08PMvideocam

Pope Leo XIV

Nuns, teen influencer and ex-Satanic priest among 7 new saints

Pope Leo XIV created the new saints, including the first from Papua New Guinea and an archbishop killed in the Armenian genocide.

19 Oct 2025 - 9:57PM

Australia

What Australia’s ‘Pukpuk’ pact with Papua New Guinea means for the Pacific

While China has voiced misgivings, the pact is seen as necessary by some – even if it could draw Australia into PNG’s domestic conflicts.

7 Oct 2025 - 5:25PMvideocam

Australia

Will Australia’s defence pact with Papua New Guinea curb China’s Pacific sway?

The defence treaty strengthens ties, counters China’s influence, and offers PNG citizens a path to Australian citizenship.

2 Oct 2025 - 5:52PM

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) and Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape attend a flag lowering ceremony in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on September 16. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

Opinion | Apec offers a stage for China, US and two Koreas to make peace

With Trump and Xi set to attend, it could pave the way for a US-North Korea summit and mend China-South Korea ties.

27 Sep 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Australia

Australia to ‘upgrade’ defence ties with PNG as China’s Pacific influence grows

The deal will allow the nations’ citizens to serve in either military, with Australia offering citizenship as an incentive.

15 Sep 2025 - 1:31PM

Indonesia

Indonesia, US start 13-nation ‘Super Garuda Shield’ military drills

More than 4,100 Indonesian and 1,300 American troops will take part in this year’s ‘largest ever’ drills, aimed at boosting deterrence.

25 Aug 2025 - 4:12PM

Military chiefs from the US, Indonesia and Canada at the opening ceremony of the “Super Garuda Shield” drills on Monday. Photo:AP

Pacific nations

Australia, US push Pacific deterrence amid China’s security overtures

Analysts note the significance of Papua New Guinea and Fiji’s unprecedented involvement in this year’s ‘Olympics of war games’.

23 Jul 2025 - 2:52PM

A servicemen wears a badge displaying the emblem of the 2025 Talisman Sabre exercise in Sydney earlier this month. Photo: AFP

Australia

Australia’s largest-ever military drill under way, Chinese spy ships expected

Chinese military have observed these biennial exercises since 2017, but this year’s drills coincide with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China.

14 Jul 2025 - 11:59AM

Pacific nations

‘Glassman’ jailed: PNG hopes ruling can curb tribal sorcery violence

After a horrific machete killing, a landmark ruling in Papua New Guinea aims to curb deadly sorcery accusations driven by jealousy and greed.

31 Mar 2025 - 3:18PM

Pacific nations

Pacific nation’s Facebook blackout tied to content ‘control’ experiment

Meta’s Facebook and Messenger remained inaccessible to users in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, over 24 hours after mysteriously going offline.

25 Mar 2025 - 12:47PM

PNG did not provide details of how the police tested “control systems” to regulate use of content on Facebook. Photo: Zuma Press Wire/dpa

Australia

Will Australia use PNG defence deal as a ‘watchtower’ to track Chinese navy?

While the pact aims to strengthen Canberra’s regional leadership, it could also be utilised to monitor Chinese naval activity in the Pacific.

28 Feb 2025 - 12:34PMvideocam

Australia

Australia seals Papua New Guinea security deal with eye on China

The agreement comes just days after Canberra signed a similar treaty with the small Pacific nation of Nauru.

12 Dec 2024 - 12:54PMvideocam

Pacific nations

Rebel region vows to become Pacific’s newest nation by 2027

Bougainville, home to about 300,000 people, voted to secede from Papua New Guinea five years ago after a bloody decade-long war.

11 Dec 2024 - 2:33PM

A bustling waterway in Bougainville’s capital Buka pictured in 2019. Photo: AFP

Australia

As Chinese banks circle, Australia pushes ANZ to stay in Pacific island nations

For years, Western banks have been closing branches throughout the South Pacific. State-owned Bank of China has shown it’s eager to step in.

12 Nov 2024 - 10:34AM

A Bank of China branch in China. The state-owned institution has been exploring options in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Photo: Shutterstock

Pope Francis

Video | Pope Francis tours one of the world's most remote areas

9 Sep 2024 - 5:31PM

Pacific nations

Pope calls for PNG to ‘end’ tribal violence, urges fair share of its resources

In a keynote speech, the pope called for an end to tribal violence while insisting the people benefit from the country’s resource boom.

9 Sep 2024 - 4:57PMvideocam

Indonesia

Video | Pope praises Indonesians for choosing children over pets

5 Sep 2024 - 3:27PM

Pope Francis questions choosing pets over children, praises Indonesia’s high birth rate

03:01

Asia

Video | Indonesian Catholics in tears as pope visits Jakarta

5 Sep 2024 - 11:44AM

Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia at start of 12-day Asia-Pacific tour

04:04

UAE

Pope heads to Southeast Asia in ambitious trip

Pope Francis’ visit aims to cement the Catholic Church’s position in the region and comes despite his growing health problems.

31 Aug 2024 - 12:43PMvideocam

Pacific nations

Australia pushes Pacific police force proposal to check China’s ambitions

Pacific leaders endorsed on Wednesday a plan creating a 200-officer police force to address security challenges and limit China’s reach.

28 Aug 2024 - 2:07PMvideocam

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Papua New Guinea

Pacific Islanders skip food, medicine amid global fuel shortage from Iran war

Pacific nations are the most reliant on diesel for power generation worldwide. They imported about 2.2 million tonnes of fuel in 2025.

Indonesian rights body, military clash over reports of Papua civilian killings

Australia pledges US$1.7 million in aid after Cyclone Maila kills 11 in Pacific

Indonesia earthquake kills 1, triggers tsunami waves

The 7.4-magnitude quake hit at a depth of 35km in the Northern Maluku Sea off ⁠Indonesia’s Ternate island.

Australia, Indonesia sign security deal in ‘watershed moment’

Canberra has signed a series of defence, police and aid deals across the Pacific region to try to boost its influence and limit China’s.

World’s oldest cave art discovered in Indonesia

A handprint dating back at least 67,800 years is over a thousand years older than hand stencils in Spain that are attributed to Neanderthals.

US denies Indo-Pacific retreat, says aid is being recalibrated to counter China

Washington argues that targeted assistance and partnerships will deepen regional ties and deliver longer-term economic and security gains.

Call for ‘Pacific Eyes’ intelligence body to offset China’s growing presence

Think tank proposes dedicated alliance – initially with Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji – to avoid being ‘blindsided’.

Nuns, teen influencer and ex-Satanic priest among 7 new saints

Pope Leo XIV created the new saints, including the first from Papua New Guinea and an archbishop killed in the Armenian genocide.

What Australia’s ‘Pukpuk’ pact with Papua New Guinea means for the Pacific

While China has voiced misgivings, the pact is seen as necessary by some – even if it could draw Australia into PNG’s domestic conflicts.

Will Australia’s defence pact with Papua New Guinea curb China’s Pacific sway?

The defence treaty strengthens ties, counters China’s influence, and offers PNG citizens a path to Australian citizenship.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Apec offers a stage for China, US and two Koreas to make peace

With Trump and Xi set to attend, it could pave the way for a US-North Korea summit and mend China-South Korea ties.

Australia to ‘upgrade’ defence ties with PNG as China’s Pacific influence grows

The deal will allow the nations’ citizens to serve in either military, with Australia offering citizenship as an incentive.

Indonesia, US start 13-nation ‘Super Garuda Shield’ military drills

More than 4,100 Indonesian and 1,300 American troops will take part in this year’s ‘largest ever’ drills, aimed at boosting deterrence.

Australia, US push Pacific deterrence amid China’s security overtures

Analysts note the significance of Papua New Guinea and Fiji’s unprecedented involvement in this year’s ‘Olympics of war games’.

Australia’s largest-ever military drill under way, Chinese spy ships expected

Chinese military have observed these biennial exercises since 2017, but this year’s drills coincide with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China.

‘Glassman’ jailed: PNG hopes ruling can curb tribal sorcery violence

After a horrific machete killing, a landmark ruling in Papua New Guinea aims to curb deadly sorcery accusations driven by jealousy and greed.

Pacific nation’s Facebook blackout tied to content ‘control’ experiment

Meta’s Facebook and Messenger remained inaccessible to users in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, over 24 hours after mysteriously going offline.

Will Australia use PNG defence deal as a ‘watchtower’ to track Chinese navy?

While the pact aims to strengthen Canberra’s regional leadership, it could also be utilised to monitor Chinese naval activity in the Pacific.

Australia seals Papua New Guinea security deal with eye on China

The agreement comes just days after Canberra signed a similar treaty with the small Pacific nation of Nauru.

Rebel region vows to become Pacific’s newest nation by 2027

Bougainville, home to about 300,000 people, voted to secede from Papua New Guinea five years ago after a bloody decade-long war.

As Chinese banks circle, Australia pushes ANZ to stay in Pacific island nations

For years, Western banks have been closing branches throughout the South Pacific. State-owned Bank of China has shown it’s eager to step in.

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | Pope Francis tours one of the world's most remote areas

Pope calls for PNG to ‘end’ tribal violence, urges fair share of its resources

In a keynote speech, the pope called for an end to tribal violence while insisting the people benefit from the country’s resource boom.

Video | Pope praises Indonesians for choosing children over pets

Video | Indonesian Catholics in tears as pope visits Jakarta

Pope heads to Southeast Asia in ambitious trip

Pope Francis’ visit aims to cement the Catholic Church’s position in the region and comes despite his growing health problems.

Australia pushes Pacific police force proposal to check China’s ambitions

Pacific leaders endorsed on Wednesday a plan creating a 200-officer police force to address security challenges and limit China’s reach.

Opinion | Apec offers a stage for China, US and two Koreas to make peace

Video | Pope Francis tours one of the world's most remote areas