PNG is forcing the museum to withdraw again! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs voluntarily closed its embassy and completely terminated aid cooperation with Papua New Guinea.

In response to the Papua New Guinea government's recent unilateral request for the personnel of the Taiwan Economic and Trade Office in Port Moresby to leave the country within a time limit and the push to close the office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today (6th) that based on national dignity, diplomatic independence and overall national interests, the Chinese government decided to voluntarily close the representative office in Papua New Guinea, withdraw all personnel stationed in Papua New Guinea, and comprehensively review and adjust bilateral cooperation relations after a comprehensive evaluation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that diplomatic resources must be properly allocated based on the country's overall diplomatic layout and actual effectiveness. This adjustment is a diplomatic decision taken by us proactively. In the future, relevant resources will be invested in friendly countries and other regions with cooperation potential and worthy of sustainable operation, continue to deepen substantive cooperation, and expand Taiwan's international space.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that for many years, my country has been adhering to the spirit of mutual benefit and assistance in development, and has continued to provide substantive assistance to PNG in the fields of economy, agriculture, medical and health, and talent cultivation, making contributions to the well-being of local people and national development. However, a series of recent actions by the PNG government have seriously affected the mutual trust foundation established by the long-term cooperation between the two sides. It also reflects China's continued use of political pressure and economic influence to interfere in other countries' foreign policy decisions and suppress Taiwan's international space. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that all countries should have the right to independently decide on the methods of exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan, and should not be subject to political coercion and manipulation by third parties.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that based on the fact that the basis of bilateral cooperation and mutual trust has been destroyed, the Chinese government has decided to immediately withdraw all personnel stationed in Papua New Guinea, cease operations there, and comprehensively terminate various technical cooperation and assistance programs provided to PNG, including technical missions, medical mission services, and related scholarships and talent training programs; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will properly handle the follow-up matters of existing cooperation plans and ensure the safety and rights of relevant personnel, demonstrating my country's determination to safeguard diplomatic independence and overall national interests.

In terms of energy and economic and trade cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that my country has stopped purchasing PNG Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) through the spot market. The original planned spot purchase volume in the first half of 2026 is about 500,000 metric tons, and it will no longer sign new natural gas spot purchase contracts with PNG in the future. Taiwan has long been an important market for PNG’s natural gas exports. my country’s procurement accounts for about one-third of PNG’s total LNG exports. This adjustment in procurement policy is bound to have a substantial impact on PNG’s natural gas exports and foreign exchange earnings.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that we have completed the domestic natural gas supply and demand assessment and procurement allocation adjustment, and have found alternative gas sources to ensure stable and sufficient domestic energy supply. It will not be affected by the suspension of spot natural gas purchases from Papua New Guinea or the adjustment of bilateral diplomatic relations, fully demonstrating the diversification of my country's energy supply and independent dispatch capabilities, and safeguarding national energy security and overall interests.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign and independent country and is not affiliated with the People's Republic of China. The people of Taiwan have the right to independently determine the country's future and participate in the international community on an equal footing. China has long used political coercion, economic inducements, and diplomatic suppression to force countries to accept its one-sided political propositions, thereby limiting Taiwan's international activity space. The PNG government's decision once again highlights China's use of political and economic means to interfere in other countries' independent foreign policy decisions and undermine the principles of international mutual trust and fairness.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called on the international community to face up to China's continued expansion of political influence and suppression of Taiwan's international participation, and to jointly defend the rules-based international order, universally shared democratic values, and the right of all countries to independently determine foreign policies. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Taiwan will not shrink from China's suppression, nor will it accept political pressure from any country to deny Taiwan's sovereign status and international participation rights, nor will it waste limited diplomatic resources on relationships that lack mutual trust and cooperation. my country will continue to uphold the principles of pragmatism, reciprocity and mutual benefit, deepen partnerships with friendly countries, and actively expand exchanges with countries with similar philosophies and other regions with cooperation potential.