Advertisement
Pacific nations
AsiaAustralasia

PNG leader vows ‘no special treatment’ for Chinese or Australian investors

  • Prime Minister James Marape visited Australia, which wants to ensure its Pacific neighbours are not beholden to Chinese funding
  • Marape previously said China’s relationship with his nation was none of Australia’s business

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Photo: EPA
Associated Press

Papua New Guinea’s prime minister said on Monday his South Pacific island nation was open to investment from China, Australia and any other country that is willing to work within the country’s rules.

Advertisement

Prime Minister James Marape is making his first visit to Australia since he became leader of its nearest neighbour and former colony in May.

Marape said although Australia was the biggest investor in Papua New Guinea, his government treated all investors equally.

“Whether they are from China or Australia or right across the world is inconsequential and irrelevant to us,” Marape told reporters. “We will have an equal playing field for every investor as long as they subscribe to the rules and regulations of our country. Chinese investors will not receive any special treatment and preference, just like Australian investors will not receive any special favour or treatment.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government wanted to ensure that each of its Pacific neighbours were “as independent and as sovereign and are in as much in charge of their future as they possibly can be”.

Chinese President Jinping at the Apec summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in November 2018. Photo: EPA
Chinese President Jinping at the Apec summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in November 2018. Photo: EPA
Advertisement

Australia has sought to counter China’s growing influence in the South Pacific by teaming with the US and Japan to finance infrastructure in Pacific island states that the Chinese have aggressively wooed with loans and aid.

Advertisement