Papua New Guinea Orders Closure of Taiwan Office in Port Moresby

Overview

• Papua New Guinea's government ordered the immediate closure of Taiwan's Taipei Economic Office in Port Moresby, which Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko announced on July 16.
• Taiwan rejected the unilateral move, lodged a formal protest, pledged to keep the office operating for now, and convened meetings to protect its interests.
• Taiwan's foreign minister said Taipei is reviewing economic ties with PNG and may reassess liquefied natural gas purchases of about 1.2 million tons a year.
• The U.S. State Department said it was deeply concerned and called the decision an example of Beijing's efforts to pressure Taiwan, while Beijing welcomed PNG's action.
• Papua New Guinea is a major LNG exporter and sits on key sea lanes and cable routes, making this shift likely to affect regional energy supplies, development projects and geopolitical influence in the Pacific.