Key facts
- China announced Papua New Guinea has closed Taiwan's office in the country.
- Beijing stated it highly appreciated Papua New Guinea's decision.
- Taiwan's foreign ministry had no immediate comment.
- Papua New Guinea's foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
- China's embassy stated the closure would consolidate bilateral relations.
China's government announced on Thursday that Papua New Guinea has decided to close Taiwan's office in the country, a move Beijing stated it highly appreciated. The Pacific region has long been an area of diplomatic competition between China and Taiwan, which Beijing considers its own territory. Taiwan rejects China's sovereignty claims.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said at a regular news briefing in Beijing that the Papua New Guinea government's decision to close the Taipei Economic Office in Papua New Guinea was "highly appreciated" by China. Taiwan's foreign ministry had no immediate comment.
China's embassy in Papua New Guinea stated that the "right decision" to close Taiwan's office would "further consolidate political foundation for the development of China-PNG bilateral relations." Papua New Guinea had replaced its Taiwan trade mission with an economic office in 2023, citing financial challenges. Taiwan maintains formal diplomatic ties with only three Pacific Island nations but had a de facto embassy in Papua New Guinea.