Papua New Guinea reiterates support for one-China principle

Papua New Guinea's Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko reaffirmed his country's commitment to the one-China principle on Friday at the launch ceremony of the "2026 Charming China (Guangdong): Lingnan Culture Travels to the South Pacific".

"China is one of our biggest economic and trade partners. And it's only gonna get bigger and better, now and into the future," Tkatchenko said at the Butuka Academy in PNG.

"The sovereignty of one's country should be always put first. One country, one flag. That's very, very important," Tkatchenko stressed, adding that Papua New Guinea has adhered to the one-China principle since 1976 when China and PNG established diplomatic relations.

According to Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea, the Guangdong cultural delegation who were in PNG for Friday's launch were the first provincial delegation to the country since the government closed the "Taipei Economic Office in PNG" earlier this month. On Thursday, Guangdong Radio and Television's feature documentary "Canton Today" premiered on the National Broadcasting Corporation of PNG (NBC).

The 'Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area – APEC Documentary Screening Event' is also presently touring the South Pacific region, coinciding with the eighth anniversary of "China Theater".

Deng Hong, deputy director of the Information Office of Guangdong province, said the documentaries focus on the coordinated development of the Greater Bay Area and APEC economies, and are intended to present a true, diverse and three-dimensional China to the people of PNG. Deng extended an invitation to the NBC team to travel to Guangdong for November's APEC summit.

Michael Samuga, deputy managing director of NBC PNG, spoke highly of media cooperation between China and PNG, and said NBC will broadcast four documentaries focusing on the economic, social, cultural and ecological aspects of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with the aim of promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

The NBC is the largest and oldest state-owned broadcaster in Papua New Guinea, reaching nearly 10 million people across 22 provincial-level administrative regions.

Since the partnership between Guangdong Radio and Television (GRT) and NBC began in 2018, GRT has provided Papua New Guinea with nearly 30 premium programs, including dubbed television dramas, animated series and documentaries, totaling over 26,400 minutes of content.