China protests to Papua New Guinea over riots that damaged Chinese stores and injured its citizens
“The Chinese embassy in PNG has lodged solemn representation with the Papua New Guinea side over the attacks on the Chinese shops,” Beijing’s embassy in Port Moresby said in a statement.
Chinese nationals should step up precautions and avoid going out, especially to crowded areas, the embassy advised.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the embassy had initiated an “emergency consular protection mechanism” and that the Chinese side had asked PNG “to take further effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and businesses, and penalise perpetrators severely”.
In recent years, China has boosted its diplomatic outreach among countries in the South Pacific. Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to expand cooperation in areas ranging from agriculture, energy and minerals, to infrastructure, when he met Marape in Beijing in October.
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Beijing has also increased high-level engagement with other nations in the strategic waters and looked to increase economic and security influence – which the US and neighbouring countries such as Australia and New Zealand viewed as a threat to regional stability.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi attempted to seek a region-wide trade and security pact when he toured 10 island states in the Pacific in May, but they did not reach a consensus.
China’s first security pact signed in the region was with the Solomon Islands in 2022, months after riots broke out in the country during which Beijing supplied anti-riot gear such as shields, helmets, batons and other “non-lethal” equipment and offered to send police advisers.
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Honiara switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 2019. Since signing the security agreement, Beijing has provided police training to the Solomons. The two countries also signed a controversial police pact as part of relations that were upgraded to a “comprehensive strategic partnership” in July.
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Instead, PNG would stay with its traditional security partners for security – sticking with the US for external security and Australia for internal security – he said.
PNG signed a defence pact with the US in May and an agreement with Australia for policing support and other security needs in December.