The Yegiora Files

As part of my PhD research exploring the influence of China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) on PNG–China relations, I have refined the way I categorize participants. Rather than lumping all student pathways into a single group, I now group them into three categories based on their funding source and facilitation method: Chinese government–sponsored, PNG government–sponsored, and privately sponsored programs. This typology offers a more accurate reflection of the student experience and supports a more nuanced analysis of education diplomacy. The first category is Chinese government–sponsored programs , which includes the Chinese Government Scholarship Program (CGSP), Chinese Language Programs (CLPs), and Public Sector Training Programs (PSTPs). These programs are typically administered through the Chinese Embassy and Confucius Institutes, and target university students, public servants, and professionals. The goal is to build long-term people-to-people ties and enhance Chi...

When I designed the pilot survey for my PhD project in late 2024, one of the most important questions was also one of the simplest: Which Chinese Higher Education Exchange Program have you participated in or are you currently participating in? This was listed as Question 10 in the pilot and served a critical function—it allowed me to identify which program each participant had joined: the Chinese Government Scholarship Program (CGSP), Chinese Language Program (CLP), Public Sector Training Program (PSTP), or “Other.” At the time, it was a broad but essential tool to classify responses because all 30 invited participants received the same link. No group-specific links were used. Question 10 from the pilot survey used broad program categories. Feedback from participants suggested the need for more specific distinctions to reflect the growing diversity of PNG-China education pathways.   While the structure seemed sufficient at first, feedback from the 20 participants who completed th...

From November 22 to December 22, 2024, I conducted a pilot survey as part of my PhD research on how China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs) influence Sino–PNG relations. The pilot involved 20 participants and was designed to test the structure, clarity, and effectiveness of my survey instrument. It aimed to uncover how programs like the Chinese Government Scholarship Program (CGSP), Chinese Language Programs (CLPs), and Public Sector Training Programs (PSTPs) shape educational diplomacy and soft power in PNG. This preparatory step helped identify ways to refine the methodology before launching the main survey. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling using my personal and professional networks, including contacts on LinkedIn. I invited 30 individuals to participate and 20 responded. Of those, 55% were male and 45% were female . The average completion time was 22.35 minutes. Despite the limited number, their feedback was critical in exposing gaps and ambiguitie...

In recent years, PNG has expanded its educational engagement with China through a growing number of scholarship and training opportunities. These include not only the Chinese Government Scholarship Programs (CGSPs), Chinese Language Programs (CLPs), and Public Sector Training Programs (PSTPs), but also students who are privately sponsored, supported by their district development funds, or recipients of the PNG Government’s STEM scholarship program. As a PhD candidate at Divine Word University, my research seeks to understand how all these diverse forms of higher education exchanges collectively influence the nature of Sino–PNG relations. Presenting my research proposal during my PhD confirmation seminar. Photo courtesy of Lake Media. The title of my study is: “The Influence of China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs on Sino–Papua New Guinea Relations: A Soft Power Analysis.” I am using soft power as a theoretical lens to examine how education functions not just as a tool for human...

In a recent interview covered by Bastille Post , Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko praised the Butuka China–PNG Friendship School as a “school of excellence” and a cornerstone of PNG–China bilateral ties. He emphasized that the school’s modern infrastructure and bilingual education programs represent a model for what educational diplomacy can achieve. His remarks suggest a desire to scale up such partnerships across the country, prompting the question: should Madang be the next location for a China–PNG Friendship School? Tkatchenko pointed to Butuka Academy’s success in promoting people-to-people links, including producing students fluent in Chinese. These achievements, he argued, go beyond pedagogy and into the realm of diplomacy, where education becomes a tool for strengthening bilateral relations. For a province like Madang—strategically important, economically vibrant, yet educationally underserved—this vision offers both symbolic and practical potential. Mad...

China’s growing footprint in Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) higher education sector is most visibly expressed through a diverse range of exchange programs that now form a key pillar of Sino-PNG relations. These programs—ranging from full scholarships and language courses to vocational training and institutional partnerships—reflect a deliberate strategy by Beijing to cultivate goodwill, shape public opinion, and build long-term partnerships with the next generation of PNG leaders. This soft power approach complements China’s broader foreign policy goals in the Pacific, offering both opportunities and challenges for PNG’s development and diplomatic autonomy. Diagram showing the inventory of Chinese Higher Education Exchange Programs in PNG, including scholarships, language and cultural initiatives, institutional partnerships, and professional training pathways that contribute to China's soft power strategy in the Pacific. The most prominent among these programs is the Chinese Government S...