China’s Expanding Influence in PNG: Security Threat or Development Partner?

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In the academic disciplines of PNG and International Studies, as well as Communication Arts (Journalism), critical engagement with pressing geopolitical and security issues is essential. PG420 International and Regional Security is designed exclusively for fourth-year students from the Department of PNG and International Studies and the Department of Communication Arts. These students must develop their analytical skills to understand and articulate the complexities of PNG’s relationship with China.

For Week 4 and Week 5, PG420 focuses on the theme "China as a security threat and PNG’s perspective," with seven key questions derived from two key readings: Denghua Zhang’s article in The Australian Journal of International Affairs and Graeme Smith & Terence Wesley-Smith’s edited volume China in the Pacific: The China Alternative. These texts provide the foundation for examining China’s role in the region, offering both critical and supportive perspectives. Developing an independent perspective on these issues is crucial for future policymakers, analysts, and journalists, as they will shape the discourse around PNG’s foreign relations, economic partnerships, and security concerns.

Screenshot of the Week 4 segment on the Moodle unit webpage.

1. Social Conflict and Economic Presence

Matbob’s research highlights tensions between Chinese traders and local communities in PNG. These frictions stem from economic competition, cultural misunderstandings, and perceived disparities in opportunities. Such tensions have the potential to escalate into social unrest, underscoring the broader security implications of China’s growing economic footprint in PNG. For students, critically analyzing these tensions is vital to understanding the intersection of economic development, social stability, and national security. Addressing this requires both government policy and grassroots efforts to foster better integration and mutual understanding.

2. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

O’Dowd examines how the BRI has facilitated infrastructure development in PNG, providing roads, ports, and energy projects that the country desperately needs. However, concerns about debt sustainability and strategic dependency on China persist. PNG students must explore whether these investments truly benefit national development or create long-term financial vulnerabilities. This issue is particularly relevant as PNG balances its need for infrastructure with maintaining financial sovereignty.

3. China as Both a Partner and a Challenge

Zhang’s research reveals that Pacific Islanders hold mixed views on China—seeing it as both a development partner and a geopolitical concern. This duality presents a dilemma: how can PNG and other Pacific nations harness China’s investments while avoiding undue political and economic influence? For PNG policymakers and scholars, answering this question involves evaluating diplomatic strategies that maintain economic ties with China while reinforcing national autonomy.

4. Strategic Competition and Sovereignty

Wesley-Smith and Smith argue that the Pacific Islands are increasingly caught in great power competition between China and Western nations. Rather than becoming passive players, PNG can strategically leverage this competition to negotiate better trade agreements, secure infrastructure investments, and diversify diplomatic alliances. Students must consider how PNG can act as an active agent rather than a victim of geopolitical rivalry.

5. The Blue Pacific Narrative

Kabutaulaka emphasizes the importance of regional solidarity under the Blue Pacific narrative to resist the external pressures of great power competition. Pacific leaders, including those in PNG, must unify to advocate for regional interests, ensuring that development projects align with local priorities rather than external agendas. Understanding this narrative allows students to appreciate the power of regional cooperation in mitigating external influences.

6. Civil Society and China’s Role

Zhang highlights how civil society stakeholders hold diverse views on China’s presence in the Pacific. These stakeholders, including NGOs, journalists, and community leaders, play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and influencing government policies. By engaging with these groups, fourth-year students from the Department of PNG and International Studies and the Department of Communication Arts can contribute to a more informed and balanced discourse on China’s role in the region.

7. Cultural Differences and Social Stability

Matbob underscores how cultural misunderstandings between Chinese traders and local PNG communities contribute to social tensions. The lack of cultural integration has led to business conflicts, community grievances, and, at times, violent confrontations. Addressing these challenges requires both policy intervention and grassroots community engagement to foster mutual respect and understanding. PNG’s future leaders must explore ways to bridge these cultural divides to enhance social harmony.

Why Critical Engagement Matters

For fourth-year students from the Department of PNG and International Studies, as well as the Department of Communication Arts (Journalism), these seven questions are more than academic exercises; they are essential to understanding PNG’s evolving geopolitical and economic landscape. The ability to critically assess China’s role—beyond simplistic narratives of either threat or opportunity—is key to crafting informed policies and responsible journalism.

As PNG continues to navigate its relationship with China, the next generation of scholars, policymakers, and journalists must develop nuanced perspectives that reflect the nation’s best interests. By engaging deeply with these issues, they can contribute to shaping PNG’s strategic responses to China’s expanding influence in the region.

Comments

  1. Joelson Maodina AnereMarch 3, 2025 at 11:28 AM

    THE ANERE FOREIGN POLICY PERSPECTIVE: I believe that if we take the Realism School thought into consideration and in particular nose-dive on the significant importance of Relational Security in the Oceania region. I believe that China is a significantly important trading partner in terms of the economic gains that Papua New Guinea can benefit from such a growing economic relationship, partnership, and friendship. But Papua New Guinea shouldn't be told who we shouldn't be friends with and who are our friends. I think since all Nations are part of the UN Body, it is imperative that we uphold the values of the United Nations Family in ensuring mutual respect, mutual responsibility, mutual accountability, etc. These are values that are significant important and relevant in Multilateral Diplomacy in a changing and evolving International Relations landscape. I have coined my comments here as the "ANERE FOREIGN POLICY PERSPECTIVE because as a student, a learner, and passionate fan of the field of International Relations particularly foreign Policy given the inputs of other Senior ANERE family members to this particular field. We believe that we should stand apart and bring our own views or perspective to the discussion or conversation going forward.

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