U.S. expresses concern over PNG order to close Taiwan office

Washington, July 17 (CNA) The U.S. State Department on Friday expressed concern over reports that Papua New Guinea (PNG) has ordered the closure of Taiwan's representative office, saying the move is another example of Beijing's efforts to intimidate Taiwan.

"We are deeply concerned by reports that the Government of Papua New Guinea has unilaterally ordered the closure of the Taipei Economic Office in Port Moresby," an unnamed State Department spokesperson told CNA in an email.

The response came after PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko announced earlier this week that the government had ordered the closure of Taiwan's representative office, saying the decision underscored the country's commitment to its "one China" policy.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a strong protest over the decision, saying it was made without prior negotiations with Taipei and vowed to continue engaging with the PNG government through diplomatic channels to safeguard Taiwan's interests.

"This is yet another example of Beijing's intimidation campaign against Taiwan and its supporters around the world, which undermines the sovereign decisions of countries choosing to partner with Taiwan and threatens international peace and prosperity," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson described Taiwan as a reliable, like-minded democratic partner whose ties with countries around the world, including Papua New Guinea, have brought significant benefits to people in those countries.

A Taiwanese official familiar with the matter said the decision was driven primarily by Tkatchenko and did not necessarily reflect a consensus within the PNG government, adding that some officials still support maintaining cooperation with Taiwan.

The official also said China has stepped up its diplomatic, economic and infrastructure engagement with Papua New Guinea in recent years, while the Pacific nation continues to maintain close economic and security ties with Australia and other partners.

Taiwan's representative office in Papua New Guinea was established in 1990 after a trade agreement signed the previous year, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties.