Taiwan Says Closes Representative Office in Papua New Guinea, Blames China

Detailed summary

Taiwan said Friday it has decided to close its representative office in Papua New Guinea and withdraw its staff, blaming Chinese ...

Taipei, Taiwan—Taiwan said Friday it has decided to close its representative office in Papua New Guinea and withdraw its staff, blaming Chinese coercion of the South Pacific nation for the decision.

"In the future, we will allocate relevant resources to friendly nations and other regions with cooperative potential that warrant continued engagement, in order to further deepen substantive cooperation and expand Taiwan's international space," Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The announcement comes after a months-long dispute following PNG's decision in July to shutter Taiwan's office in the capital Port Moresby, which Taipei rejected.

China, which claims Taiwan is part of its territory and opposes the self-governed island's participation in international organisations and exchanges with other countries, previously welcomed PNG's move.

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