Papua New Guinea will be getting its own team in Australia's National Rugby League as part of a soft diplomacy deal aimed at limiting Chinese influence in the South Pacific. The Australian government has committed 600 million Australian dollars over a decade to include a team from Papua New Guinea in the NRL starting from 2028.
The announcement of this deal was made during a news conference in Sydney by the Prime Ministers of Australia and Papua New Guinea. They also confirmed the official commencement of a bilateral security agreement that was agreed upon a year ago.
China's efforts to establish security pacts with Papua New Guinea and other South Pacific nations have raised concerns among U.S. allies, including Australia, about potential threats to regional security.
Rugby league is immensely popular in Papua New Guinea, a country with a population of 12 million predominantly subsistence farmers facing challenges such as tribal conflicts, rising crime rates, and civil unrest.
The Papua New Guinea Prime Minister emphasized that the security deal with Australia is crucial for ensuring the safety of players and officials, particularly those based in the capital city of Port Moresby.
While affirming the importance of the security partnership with Australia, Papua New Guinea's leader also highlighted the country's positive relationships with other nations, including China, in areas such as trade and bilateral cooperation.
The Australian government disclosed that the rugby league agreement is supported by a 'strategic trust' pact between the two countries. This agreement includes provisions allowing Australia to withdraw funding and the NRL to remove Papua New Guinea's team from the league if trust is breached.
The Chair of the Australian Rugby League Commission expressed confidence in Papua New Guinea's commitment to the sport, stating that the country would not jeopardize its rugby league team by engaging in security deals with other nations.
The establishment of a Port Moresby-based rugby league team is seen as a significant step in strengthening the relationship between Papua New Guinea and Australia. The security pact signed between the two countries further solidifies Australia's position as Papua New Guinea's preferred security partner.
The original timeline for the security agreement was delayed due to protests in Papua New Guinea over concerns about sovereignty following a separate security deal between the United States and the Papua New Guinea government.
