Neighboring countries, Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG), whose friendship dates back to World War II, evolved later underneath various avenues such as cultural connection, attributed mainly to migration and economic ties, particularly revolving around trade. However, their efforts taken to heighten their friendship and strengthen their partnership did not end there. Australia, the continental country that shares a maritime border with PNG, decided to share its military facilities and troops under key agreements on October 6th, 2025, when it signed the Pukpuk Treaty in a show of unity.
Being the largest and most populous South Pacific nation, PNG, home to approximately 12 million people, is being provided the opportunity for 10,000 New Guineans to become Australian citizens after serving in the Australian military.
The pact between these two sovereign nations, which inhabits a special history and modern alliance, ensures that China will not gain access to infrastructure in PNG as it does in other Pacific islands, as mentioned by Oliver Nobetau, project director of the Lowy Institute’s Australia-PNG network.
Australia and its western allies, primarily the United States, have been aiming to match China’s influence and expand trade with the Pacific island nations, which makes it very apparent that the Pacific is a region of strategic competition between China and Australia.
While China has enlarged its influence with the Solomon Islands, Australia, as a counter-reaction, has invested heavily in the Pacific nations such as the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and PNG as well.
Prime Minister of PNG James Marape emphasized that these pacts have nothing to do with geopolitics, while the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also pointed out clearly that they were based on years of long alliance and trust. “By continuing to build our security relationships in the region, we safeguard our own security,” he stated, making their intentions perfectly clear.
The meaning behind the name Pukpuk, which the treaty was named after, is “crocodile” in PNG pidgin. It states that any armed attacks on either country would pose a significant threat to both parties and would result in a unified response.
The experts have mentioned that the treaty strengthens regional security, modernizes PNG’s military, and acts as a solution to Australia’s recruitment challenges as plus points and includes joint exercises to demonstrate military readiness and strategic messaging.
However, some critics in PNG have noted concerns that the pact could compromise the nation’s “friends to all, enemies to none” foreign policy as it may come at a high cost.
Neighboring countries, Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG), whose friendship dates back to World War II, evolved later underneath various avenues such as cultural connection, attributed mainly to migration and economic ties, particularly revolving around trade. However, their efforts taken to heighten their friendship and strengthen their partnership did not end there. Australia, the continental country that shares a maritime border with PNG, decided to share its military facilities and troops under key agreements on October 6th, 2025, when it signed the Pukpuk Treaty in a show of unity.
Being the largest and most populous South Pacific nation, PNG, home to approximately 12 million people, is being provided the opportunity for 10,000 New Guineans to become Australian citizens after serving in the Australian military.
The pact between these two sovereign nations, which inhabits a special history and modern alliance, ensures that China will not gain access to infrastructure in PNG as it does in other Pacific islands, as mentioned by Oliver Nobetau, project director of the Lowy Institute’s Australia-PNG network.
Australia and its western allies, primarily the United States, have been aiming to match China’s influence and expand trade with the Pacific island nations, which makes it very apparent that the Pacific is a region of strategic competition between China and Australia.
While China has enlarged its influence with the Solomon Islands, Australia, as a counter-reaction, has invested heavily in the Pacific nations such as the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and PNG as well.
Prime Minister of PNG James Marape emphasized that these pacts have nothing to do with geopolitics, while the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also pointed out clearly that they were based on years of long alliance and trust. “By continuing to build our security relationships in the region, we safeguard our own security,” he stated, making their intentions perfectly clear.
The meaning behind the name Pukpuk, which the treaty was named after, is “crocodile” in PNG pidgin. It states that any armed attacks on either country would pose a significant threat to both parties and would result in a unified response.
The experts have mentioned that the treaty strengthens regional security, modernizes PNG’s military, and acts as a solution to Australia’s recruitment challenges as plus points and includes joint exercises to demonstrate military readiness and strategic messaging.
However, some critics in PNG have noted concerns that the pact could compromise the nation’s “friends to all, enemies to none” foreign policy as it may come at a high cost.
