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

Albanese said on Monday that he and his Papua New Guinean counterpart, James Marape, would sign the pact on Wednesday, a day after celebrating the South Pacific island nation’s 50th anniversary of independence from Australia.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will also be in PNG capital, Port Moresby, for the celebrations.

“It is a very significant upgrade in our defence relationship,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Perth in Western Australia before flying to Australia’s nearest neighbour.

“It provides for mutual defence, which means that we will provide support for each other, provide for an integration of our interoperability of our assets and our respective defence forces,” Albanese added.