Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister James Marape signed a significant security pact in Canberra on Monday, amid growing Chinese influence in the Pacific region.
However, Marape emphasized that the agreement was not driven by geopolitical concerns, but rather by "geography, history, and the enduring reality of our shared neighborhood." The deal will allow up to 10,000 Papua New Guineans to serve in Australia’s military, with the option to gain Australian citizenship.
Marape also reassured China, stating that PNG had been "transparent" with the country. "We have informed them that Australia is our security partner of choice, and they understand our alliances here... Our other relations have not been compromised," he added.
Prime Minister Albanese described the alliance as one built on generations of mutual trust, emphasizing the importance of ensuring a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Pacific region. "By continuing to strengthen our security relationships in the region, we safeguard our own security," he stated.
The agreement, dubbed the Pukpuk Treaty (meaning "crocodile" in PNG pidgin), marks the latest in a series of security deals between Pacific nations and countries vying for influence in the region, including the United States and China.
According to a copy of the agreement obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the treaty’s symbolism is linked to the strength of a crocodile’s bite, reflecting the military’s readiness for cooperation in defense matters. The treaty states that an armed attack on either country would pose a threat to the peace and security of the other, requiring both nations to act in response.
Additionally, the pact outlines greater collaboration in cyberspace and electromagnetic warfare. PNG’s Defence Minister Billy Joseph further explained to ABC that the deal would result in the "total integration" of Australian and PNG forces.
In response to China’s growing influence in the region, Australia has also engaged in multiple security agreements. In 2022, China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, leading to the deployment of Chinese police officers in the country. In reaction, Australia signed a A$190m ($126m; £93m) deal with the Solomon Islands to support its police force, as well as a similar agreement with Tuvalu. Just last month, Australia signed a $328m security and business agreement with Vanuatu, focused on building data centers, enhancing security, and addressing climate change challenges.
Oliver Nobetau, project director of the Lowy Institute’s Australia–PNG network, identified three main benefits of the deal. First, it limits China’s presence in PNG by preventing the level of access to infrastructure seen in the Solomon Islands. Second, it helps Australia address challenges in recruiting military personnel by tapping into PNG’s surplus of capable individuals willing to serve. Lastly, the deal sends a message to the United States, which has recently been criticized for withdrawing from the Pacific and reducing foreign humanitarian aid.
The pact also includes annual joint military exercises, which, according to Nobetau, serve as "strategic messaging" to demonstrate the interoperability of the forces and their readiness to respond to external threats in the region.
Anna Powles, an associate professor in security studies at Massey University in New Zealand, noted that the deal would modernize PNG’s military, offering a boost in both material and morale.
However, she raised concerns about how the pact aligns with PNG’s longstanding foreign policy of being "friends to all, enemies to none." Powles suggested that while the deal strengthens Australia’s "hub and spokes" network of security agreements in the Pacific, both nations will need greater clarity on their expectations and commitments under the pact.