Taiwan closes Papua New Guinea office amid Beijing pressure

Taiwan announced the closure of its trade office in Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, citing mounting pressure from Beijing as the primary factor. The decision coincides with Taipei's halt to LNG imports from the island nation, marking a significant diplomatic and commercial retreat from the South Pacific region.

Papua New Guinea's government reportedly ordered the closure unilaterally, prompting swift criticism from the United States, which expressed deep concern over the development. American officials viewed the action as potentially destabilizing to regional diplomatic norms and geopolitical balance in the Pacific.

The closure underscores China's expanding influence in the Pacific, where Beijing has intensified efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and economically. Several Pacific island nations have shifted diplomatic allegiances to Beijing in recent years, reducing Taiwan's regional presence.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry confirmed the office would cease operations, though officials did not immediately clarify whether the suspension of LNG purchases was permanent or conditional. The move represents a setback for Taiwan's strategic engagement in the Pacific, where it has sought to maintain diplomatic footholds amid China's coordinated pressure campaign.

The incident highlights the strategic competition between Taipei and Beijing across the Indo-Pacific, with smaller nations increasingly caught between competing interests from Washington, Beijing, and regional players seeking to maintain balanced international relationships.