Australia, PNG Set to Seal Defence Pact Allowing Nationals to Join ADF Amid Rising China Influence
A new defence pact to be signed this week could allow Papua New Guineans to serve in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), in what Canberra has described as a “historic” step to deepen ties and counter Beijing’s growing influence in the Pacific.
The agreement, to be formalised on Wednesday in Port Moresby by Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and James Marape, coincides with celebrations marking 50 years of Papua New Guinea’s independence from Australia.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles told ABC that the deal represents a major shift, expanding on Australia’s recent decision to open military recruitment to foreign nationals from New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and the US.
“At the time we said we would have an eye to the Pacific,” Marles said. “The agreement with PNG contemplates this. There’s more work ahead, but we are certainly interested in how we can recruit Papua New Guineans directly into the ADF.”
Australian media reports suggest PNG nationals who join the ADF would receive the same pay and conditions as other members, with the deal potentially opening a pathway to Australian citizenship.
Prime Minister Albanese described the pact as an “upgrade in the relationship”, saying it would boost interoperability, engagement, and security ties between the two neighbours.
The move builds on a broader security agreement signed in 2023, underscoring Canberra’s push to strengthen regional alliances as China steps up its footprint across the Pacific.
Over the past decade, Beijing has poured billions of dollars into Pacific island nations, funding roads, hospitals, sports stadiums, and other major projects. Its efforts have won diplomatic sway, with the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Nauru all switching recognition from Taiwan to China in recent years.
Australia, wary of losing influence in its strategic backyard, has been working to shore up ties. Albanese visited Vanuatu last week to advance a similar security deal, though the agreement stalled after Prime Minister Jotham Napat expressed concerns that it might limit Vanuatu’s access to international funding for “critical infrastructure.”
