In July of this year, Papua New Guinea unilaterally announced the closure of Taiwan’s representative office in the country, prompting Taiwan to respond by halting its imports of Papua New Guinea’s spot liquid natural gas (LNG). On November 6, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement indicating that Taiwan would be closing its representative office in Papua New Guinea and would comprehensively adjust its bilateral cooperation relationship. The ministry emphasized that this decision was made to reallocate resources and deepen collaboration with its allies and like-minded nations.
The situation escalated when Justin Tkatchenko, the foreign minister of Papua New Guinea, unexpectedly released a statement in July declaring the immediate closure of Taiwan’s representative office and cessation of its operations. Following this, Taiwan’s government announced a suspension of its spot LNG imports from Papua New Guinea. On July 17, the U.S. Department of State expressed “deep concern,” labeling the actions as yet another example of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) applying pressure globally to intimidate Taiwan and its supporters. Recently, the Papua New Guinea government reiterated its unilateral request for Taiwanese representatives to vacate the premises and further steps toward closing the office.
In its official release, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the actions taken by the Papua New Guinea government have severely impacted the mutual trust established over years of cooperation, reflecting the CCP’s continued use of political pressure and economic influence to meddle in the diplomatic decisions of other nations while suppressing Taiwan’s international presence.
The ministry outlined that, in light of national dignity, diplomatic autonomy, and overall national interests, the decision was made to proactively shutter the representative office, retract all stationed personnel, and entirely halt various technical cooperation and assistance programs previously provided to Papua New Guinea. This includes the cessation of technical teams, medical service teams, and related scholarship and talent development initiatives. Nonetheless, Taiwan will responsibly handle any ongoing collaborative projects to ensure the safety and rights of those involved, showcasing Taiwan’s commitment to maintaining its diplomatic autonomy and defending national interests.
With regard to energy and economic collaboration, the Ministry announced that Taiwan has already ceased procuring spot LNG from Papua New Guinea. Approximately 500,000 tons of LNG had been planned for procurement in the first half of 2026, and Taiwan will not enter into new spot procurement contracts with Papua New Guinea. Historically, Taiwan has been a significant market for Papua New Guinea’s gas exports, accounting for about one-third of the country’s total LNG export volume. This policy shift is likely to have a substantial impact on Papua New Guinea’s LNG exports and foreign currency earnings.
The Ministry reiterated that Taiwan has completed an assessment of its gas supply and demand and has made necessary adjustments to its procurement strategies to identify alternative gas sources. This ensures that Taiwan’s energy supply remains stable and sufficient, unaffected by the cessation of LNG imports from Papua New Guinea or by shifting bilateral diplomatic relations. Such measures illustrate Taiwan’s ability to diversify its energy supply and maintain self-sufficient resource management to safeguard national energy security and overall interests.
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the Republic of China (Taiwan) possesses its own independent sovereignty and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China. The people of Taiwan have the right to autonomously determine the future of their nation and participate equally in the international community. In contrast, the CCP has long used political coercion, economic inducements, and diplomatic suppression in attempts to force countries to adhere to its one-sided political assertions, thereby constricting Taiwan’s international role. The decisions made by the Papua New Guinea government further underscore the CCP’s interference in the autonomous diplomatic choices of other nations and its disruption of international trust and fairness principles.
The ministry urged the international community to recognize the CCP’s ongoing expansion of political influence and its efforts to marginalize Taiwan’s international participation. It called for a collective defense of the rules-based international order, universally shared democratic values, and the right of each country to decide its foreign policy independently. Taiwan stands firm against the CCP’s pressures and will not acquiesce to any nation that seeks to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty and international participation rights through political pressure. Taiwan also refuses to squander its limited diplomatic resources on relationships where mutual trust and cooperation are absent.
The Ministry concluded by stating that Taiwan will continue to adhere to principles of pragmatism, reciprocity, and mutual benefit to deepen partnerships with its allies. It will also actively expand exchanges with like-minded countries and regions with potential for cooperation. Resources will be allocated to diplomatic efforts that can yield concrete results and align with the nation’s overarching interests, thereby enhancing Taiwan’s international visibility and substantive contributions on the global stage.