PNG ‘free’ to pick friends

By JIMMY KALEBE
PAPUA New Guinea is a sovereign nation and China has nothing against the country’s move to develop partnership with other countries, says Chinese ambassador Zeng Fanhua.
Zeng made this comment on Tuesday during an invitation by Morobe Governor Luther Wenge for bilateral talks regarding infrastructure development in the province.
“But we know that people of this country needed better developments that will ensure their livelihoods are catered for in terms of development taking place,” Zeng said.
He said with climate change being the biggest challenge that PNG and other Pacific nations were facing, China wished that all international development partners can join hands to support PNG.
Zeng said these when asked about China’s view on the recently signed Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between PNG and the United States in Port Moresby on Monday.
PNG and the US also signed a bilateral agreement to counter illicit transnational maritime activity.
“All international partners of this country have to support PNG and face the development challenges together.” He said what China did not want to see was the geopolitical games in the region.
“China has no intention to influence anyone in the Pacific who are not interested in geopolitics contests.
“Let the people in PNG decide for themselves who is clearly supporting development in the country and the friendship that international development partners have had over the years”
He said what his government wanted was to support the PNG people and Government in developments.
Meanwhile, Wenge said PNG foreign policy clearly stated that we were “friends to all and enemy to none”.
“What our Prime Minister James Marape did in signing the DCA is okay, as long as this agreement does not contravene to any of our existing law or any international laws.”
Wenge said it should not affect PNG’s relationship with China.