Australian PM pushes defense ties in Papua New Guinea

Bloomberg

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used a historic address in Papua New Guinea to call for a “swift conclusion” to negotiations over a bilateral security agreement, in the latest move by Canberra to counter Chinese influence in the Pacific.
In an address to Papua New Guinea’s Parliament on Thursday, Albanese praised the close historic ties between Australia and its largest Pacific neighbor, saying a bilateral security treaty would “honor our shared history of service” and be an “example to others.”
It was the first visit by a sitting Australian prime minister to the Pacific neighbor in more than four years. During his trip, Albanese was the first foreign leader to address the Pacific nation’s Parliament since the country was founded. Papua New Guinea was a former Australian colony before achieving independence in 1975.
In his speech, the Australian prime minister said the two countries needed “a treaty based on deep trust and a treaty that builds on the family-first approach to regional security.”