Papua New Guinea Orders Taiwan to Close Port Moresby Office

Papua New Guinea instructed Taiwan to close its representative office in Port Moresby. Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said the decision demonstrated support for Beijing’s one-China policy. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on July 17 that Beijing highly commends the move.

Lin stated at a regular press briefing in Beijing that upholding the one-China principle is where international public opinion trends and the arc of history bends. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said the decision was made without consulting Taipei. The ministry lodged a formal protest with Papua New Guinea and stated that the Taipei Economic Office continued normal operations.

Earlier this year President Lai Ching-te delayed a trip to Eswatini after three nations closed their airspace to his flight. Taiwan said those closures occurred at Beijing’s behest.