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View all search resultsThe US-PNG defense pact
Due to the possibility of the deal bringing about a shift in regional power dynamics, Indonesia should engage in diplomacy with both the US and PNG to ensure its concerns are heard and addressed.
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T
he newly signed defense and maritime cooperation agreement between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the United States will not only exacerbate the ongoing great power rivalry in the Asia Pacific region but also give us a cause for concern because we share a border with PNG.
Depending on the details of the deal, sooner or later the bilateral agreement will affect our national security, for better or worse.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing had no objection to such a form of cooperation, but quickly added, "What we need to be vigilant about is engaging in geopolitical games in the name of cooperation, and we also believe that no cooperation should target any third parties."
Beijing has shown a growing interest in Pacific Islands. Last year, then-Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands as part of his trip to eight Pacific Islands states that badly need financial funding to mitigate the risks of climate change.
Australia, the most prominent neighbor of the Pacific nations, is losing its grip on the region since China offers more lucrative deals.
As a part of the strategy to contain China, Australia, the United Kingdom and the US established a military pact, AUKUS, which allows Canberra to possess nuclear-powered submarines to protect its sovereignty. The US also formed another strategic alliance, the Quad, with Australia, Japan and India with rising China in mind.
After attending the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, last week, Biden was initially slated to visit PNG. He canceled the trip due to domestic politics and sent his state secretary, Antony Blinken, instead.
