Prime mininsters Anthony Albanese and Jame Marape. Photo: ABC News/Melissa Clarke
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape is rebuffing any question of China wanting to scuttle a new security deal the country is negotiating with Australia.
The Pukpuk Treaty has been described as a new mutual security deal between the two nations.
It was widely reported it would be signed this week, with Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, his deputy and Defence Minister Richard Marles, as well as Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy, all in Papua New Guinea for the country's 50th independence celebrations.
Instead, Albanese and Marape signed a communique on Wednesday, 17 September, that stated the treaty would elevate the two nations' defence relationship.
Australian media have painted the lack of an inked agreement as a failure, but both Albanese and Marape said the hold-up was procedural.
"We will go through our respective cabinet processes and expect to finalise the signing of the Treaty, the words of which have been agreed, in coming weeks," Albanese told media at the joint press conference on Wednesday.
The leaders also stated the treaty was initiated by Papua New Guinea and Marape highlighted its significance to internal security issues for his country.
"We don't have so much of external threat. We have internal security issues. Part of this constructive defence treaty is not an isolated defence treaty programme. [It's] working with the police, working with the judiciary, working with the full government of the law and justice sector."
According to the communique, the deal would recognise that an armed attack on Australia or Papua New Guinea would be a danger to both countries.
Albanese described this as a "mutual defence commitment" that recognised the "mutual interest in our security" for both nations.
Marape told media the treaty would also help build capacity across both nations' defence forces and would increase interoperability.
"This is a construct for the future of our two forces - the capacity we must build [for] Australia too. And the prime minister [Anthony Albanese] did indicate that if you need more manpower to recruit into your Australian Defence Force, than Papuan citizens are available for them to recruit and serve as Australian Defence Force personnel.
"So mutually valuable to both - it has strategic value to both nations. It is in our shared interests that our defence are interoperable and work side-by-side, step-by-step into the future," he said.
Marape also rebuffed any question that China could use the signing delay to scuttle the deal when asked about it during the press conference.
"China has been an enduring friend of PNG for the last 50 years," he said.
"We maintain a one-China policy. But China also knows clearly that in, as far as security, we have security partners of choice.
"This is in no way, shape, or form do Chinese have any hand in saying don't do this."
The next high-level meeting planned between the two countries is the annual Australia-Papua New Guinea Ministerial meeting. It was due to be hosted by Australia, and while a date has yet to be confirmed, Mr Albanese said they were looking at holding it next month [October]. Both he and Marape said the agreement would be discussed at the meeting.
