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Summary of article:
After Papua New Guinea requested the closure of Taiwan’s mission, Taiwan decided to voluntarily withdraw personnel and end cooperation; The US State Department accused Beijing of using intimidation to suppress Taiwan’s international position.
Papua New Guinea unilaterally announced the closure of Taiwan’s representative office in Papua New Guinea in July, and Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry announced this week that it has decided to voluntarily close its representative office in Papua New Guinea. The US State Department responded today, saying it was deeply concerned by reports of Papua New Guinea’s unilateral request to close Taiwan’s consulate. At the same time, it also criticized it as another example of Beijing’s threats against Taiwan and a threat to global peace and prosperity.
Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko issued a statement in July this year unilaterally claiming that Taiwan’s representative office in Papua New Guinea would be immediately closed and ceased operations. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry later announced it would stop importing Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas on the spot market in response. However, the Papua New Guinea government recently once again unilaterally demanded that Taiwanese personnel leave the country within a deadline and ordered the office to be closed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on the 6th, Taipei time, that on the basis of national dignity, diplomatic freedom and overall national interests, the government decided after a comprehensive assessment to voluntarily close the PNG station, withdraw all deployed personnel, and comprehensively terminate all technical cooperation and assistance programs provided to PNG.
In response, a spokesperson for the US State Department today, responding to a background question from a reporter from the Central News Agency, said that it is deeply concerned about reports that the Government of Papua New Guinea has unilaterally ordered the closure of the Taipei Economic Office in Port Moresby.
The spokesperson said Taiwan is a reliable, like-minded and democratic partner and that its relations with countries around the world bring important benefits to the citizens of these countries, including Papua New Guinea.
At the same time, the spokesperson pointed out that this is another example of Beijing’s bullying campaign against Taiwan and its global supporters, which “undermines the sovereign decision of all countries to cooperate with Taiwan and endangers international peace and prosperity.”
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry also said that the recent actions of the Papua New Guinea government have seriously affected the foundation of mutual trust established by long-term cooperation between the two sides, and reflect China’s continued use of political pressure and economic influence to interfere in other countries’ diplomatic decision-making and suppress Taiwan’s international position.
Summary FAQ
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Papua New Guinea first unilaterally announced the closure of Taiwan’s representative office in Papua New Guinea, and then asked its employees to leave the country within a deadline and pressured the representative office to close. Taiwan therefore decided to voluntarily withdraw its mission to protect national dignity and diplomatic independence.
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The US State Department expressed deep concern and believed that this is another wave of Beijing’s threats against Taiwan and its supporters, which will undermine various countries’ sovereign decisions to cooperate with Taiwan and endanger international peace and prosperity.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that PNG’s recent actions have seriously affected the mutual trust established by long-term cooperation between the two sides, and believed that it reflects China’s continued interference in other countries’ foreign policy decisions through political pressure and economic influence.
