Taiwan Ends LNG Deals and Closes Office in Port Moresby
The closure and trade halt come after Beijing supported the South Pacific nation's move to limit Taiwan's diplomatic presence.
By Jillian Foster ·
Taiwan will close its representative office in Port Moresby and halt new liquefied natural gas purchases from Papua New Guinea. The decision follows months of diplomatic friction between the two nations.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday that Papua New Guinea had set a deadline for staff to leave the capital office. The ministry stated that the host country pushed for closure and that the actions reflect Chinese political pressure.
In a statement, the ministry described the situation as China using economic influence to interfere in diplomatic decisions. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, had welcomed the earlier decision to shutter the office. Taipei rejected that move, keeping the office open in the interim.
Taiwanese purchases previously accounted for one-third of Papua New Guinea’s LNG exports. Last year, Taiwan imported approximately 8 percent of its natural gas from the South Pacific nation. On Friday, the ministry confirmed it would stop signing new spot purchase contracts with the country.
The ministry said it will also end technical cooperation and assistance programs. These cuts include medical missions, scholarship initiatives, and talent development efforts. Papua New Guinea maintains formal diplomatic relations with China but had allowed Taiwan to keep a representative office in Port Moresby.
Taiwan currently has formal diplomatic ties with only three Pacific Islands nations: Palau, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands. It also operates a representative office in Fiji. Twelve countries worldwide maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
