Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape has hailed ties with Australia in a historic address to the Australian Parliament in Canberra, the first by a Pacific Island leader. The speech comes as Australia and China compete for influence in the region and near the 50th anniversary of PNG's independence from Australia.
"Nothing will come in between our two countries because we are family," Mr Marape told Australian MPs. In jest, he added that "one can choose friends, but one is stuck with family forever" and "we have no choice but to get along." He joins an elite list of overseas leaders who have addressed lawmakers in Canberra, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, former US President Barack Obama, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PNG is Australia's nearest neighbour, separated by just a few kilometres of sea in the Torres Strait. Mr Marape's visit is set against unrest at home sparked by a police strike, which has destabilised his government and could lead to a motion of no confidence. Additionally, China's growing ambitions in the Pacific have reignited a diplomatic race with Australia, notably after Beijing signed a security pact with Solomon Islands in 2021.
Mr Marape twice emphasised that "a strong economically empowered Papua New Guinea means a stronger and more secure Australia in the Pacific," and urged Australia to "contribute where you can and leave the rest to us." Last November, Australia announced a security and climate change accord with Tuvalu and reached a security agreement with PNG. However, weeks later, PNG's Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko reportedly discussed a similar deal with Beijing, though he later backtracked, insisting Australia was PNG's partner of choice.
Analysts note that China sees diplomatic and economic opportunities in the region, including eroding support for Taiwan and accessing PNG's natural resources. At the UN, a vote cast by Nauru (population 13,000) is equal to that of the US (population 333 million).
