Papua New Guinea’s PM to Address Australian Parliament, Addressing Beijing Influence

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape begins an official visit to Australia today, during which he will address both houses of parliament—the first in-person address by a foreign leader since 2020. He will also have one-on-one talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, building on the Bilateral Security Agreement signed last year, and address security and economic cooperation, infrastructure, and “deepening people-to-people links.” Last year, Mr. Albanese was the first foreign head of government to address Papua New Guinea’s National Parliament since 2018, and said it was fitting to invite Mr. Marape to do the same. Papua New Guinea is Australia’s closest neighbour, with less than four kilometres separating the two countries at their closest point. It was under Australian rule until gaining independence in 1975. The federal government provides more aid to PNG than to anywhere else in the Pacific....