Taiwan said it is closing its representative office in Papua New Guinea and will stop buying liquefied natural gas from the country, blaming what it called Chinese political pressure on the South Pacific nation.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that Papua New Guinea had repeated previous demands that staff leave its office in the capital, Port Moresby, within a set deadline and had pushed for its closure. These actions “reflect China’s continued use of political pressure and economic influence to interfere in other countries’ diplomatic decisions and suppress Taiwan’s international space”, it said in a statement.
Papua New Guinea decided in July to shutter Taiwan’s office in Port Moresby. Taipei rejected the move and the office remained open in the interim. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, had welcomed that decision. The Pacific has long been an arena for diplomatic competition between China and Taiwan. Papua New Guinea maintains formal diplomatic relations with China, but it had allowed Taiwan to have a representative office in the capital.
Taiwan previously announced it had stopped spot purchases of LNG from the South Pacific nation. On Friday the ministry said it would also no longer sign new spot purchase contracts with the country. Taiwanese LNG purchases accounted for one-third of Papua New Guinea’s exports. Last year, Taiwan imported about 8 percent of its natural gas from Port Moresby.
Taipei will also end technical cooperation and assistance programmes, “including medical missions, related scholarship and talent development programmes”, the ministry said.
Only 12 countries maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Among Pacific Islands nations, it has formal relations with Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands, and also maintains a representative office in Fiji.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The closure marks a significant loss of diplomatic presence for Taiwan in the Pacific, a region where China has been steadily expanding its influence.
- Cutting LNG purchases, which account for one-third of Papua New Guinea’s exports, demonstrates Taipei’s willingness to use economic leverage in response to diplomatic pressure.
- The move shrinks Taiwan’s already limited network of overseas offices in the Pacific and could prompt other countries to reassess their positions.
Background
Taiwan and China have long competed for diplomatic recognition in the Pacific, with several small island nations switching allegiance in recent years. Papua New Guinea, which has full diplomatic relations with China, had previously allowed Taiwan to operate a representative office in Port Moresby as an informal channel. In July, Papua New Guinea decided to close that office, a move China welcomed. Taiwan resisted the closure until Friday’s announcement.
Key Perspectives
- Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs: says the closure and the end of LNG purchases are a response to what it calls China’s use of political pressure and economic influence to interfere in other countries’ diplomatic decisions and suppress Taiwan’s international space.
- China: claims Taiwan as part of its territory and had welcomed Papua New Guinea’s July decision to shut the office. Beijing has not yet commented on Friday’s announcement.
- Papua New Guinea: according to Taiwan, repeatedly demanded that staff leave its office within a set deadline and pushed for its closure. The PNG government has not publicly responded to Taipei’s latest move.
What to Watch
- Whether China formally responds to Taiwan’s announcement and whether PNG’s government issues its own statement.
- The economic impact on Papua New Guinea, for whom Taiwanese LNG purchases were a major export earner.
- Whether other Pacific nations with informal ties to Taiwan come under similar pressure from China.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedTaiwan is closing its representative office in Papua New Guinea and blames Chinese political pressure.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Taiwan says it is closing its representative office in Papua New Guinea and will stop buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the country, blaming Chinese political pressure on the South Pacific nation.”
- Partly supportedTaiwan will stop buying LNG from Papua New Guinea.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Taiwan previously announced that it had stopped spot purchases of LNG from the South Pacific nation, but on Friday the ministry said it also would no longer sign new spot purchase contracts with the country.”
- SupportedTaiwan’s ministry said Papua New Guinea had repeated demands that office staff leave Port Moresby by a set deadline and had pushed for the office’s closure.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that Papua New Guinea had repeated previous demands that staff leave its office in the capital, Port Moresby, within a set deadline and had pushed for its closure.”
- SupportedThe ministry said the actions reflected China’s political pressure and economic influence to interfere in other countries’ diplomatic decisions and suppress Taiwan’s international space.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “These actions “reflect China’s continued use of political pressure and economic influence to interfere in other countries’ diplomatic decisions and suppress Taiwan’s international space”, it said in a statement.”
- SupportedPapua New Guinea decided in July to close Taiwan’s Port Moresby office, and China welcomed that decision.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, had welcomed Papua New Guinea’s decision in July to shutter Taiwan’s office in Port Moresby.”
- SupportedTaipei rejected the move and the office remained open in the interim.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Taipei rejected the move, and the office remained open in the interim.”
- SupportedTaiwanese LNG purchases accounted for one-third of Papua New Guinea’s exports.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Taiwanese LNG purchases accounted for one-third of Papua New Guinea’s exports.”
- SupportedLast year, Taiwan imported about 8 percent of its natural gas from Papua New Guinea.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Last year, Taiwan imported about 8 percent of its natural gas from Port Moresby.”
- SupportedTaipei will end technical cooperation and assistance programmes, including medical missions, related scholarship and talent development programmes.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Taipei will also end technical cooperation and assistance programmes, “including medical missions, related scholarship and talent development programmes”, the ministry said.”
- SupportedOnly 12 countries maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Just 12 countries maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.”
- SupportedAmong Pacific Islands nations, Taiwan has formal relations with Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands, and a representative office in Fiji.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Taiwan has formal diplomatic ties with only three Pacific Islands nations: Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands. It also has a representative office in Fiji.”