PNG Pact Pushes Australia’s Security Frontier to the Edge of the South China Sea: Analyst

‘China may interpret it to mean Australia may attempt to acquire staging bases for strikes on PRC-occupied islands,’ said Carl Schuster.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (R) greets Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape before a signing ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra on October 6, 2025. Australia and Papua New Guinea signed a long-awaited mutual defence treaty, as Canberra seeks to deepen ties with Pacific nations and counter Beijing's rising influence. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP) Photo by DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images

A new security pact with Papua New Guinea (PNG) effectively expands Australia’s security influence to the edge of the South China Sea, according to one security analyst.

After months of delays, the “Puk Puk” security pact was signed on Oct. 6, elevating ties between both nations to the same level as Australia with the United States and New Zealand.

The deal means Australia or PNG have to come to the defence of one another in the event of an invasion.