The United States will be looking to increase security ties with Pacific nation Papua New Guinea (PNG)—Australia’s northern neighbour—amid the fallout of a freshly minted agreement between Beijing and the Solomon Islands that could see Chinese troops and weapons stationed in the region.
Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told reporters on April 26 that further discussions with the PNG Prime Minister James Marape would be held in the coming months, according to comments obtained by Reuters.
“There is a desire on both sides to ensure we take concrete steps to expand our security cooperation,” he told reporters in a call.
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