US, PNG sign defence deal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed a defence cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea yesterday, which he said would expand the Pacific island nation's capabilities and make it easier for the US military to train with its forces.

Blinken was also set to meet 14 other Pacific island leaders. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier pledged support for the Pacific Islands at a summit in Port Moresby.

The United States and its allies are seeking to deter Pacific island nations from forming security ties with China, a rising concern amid tension over Taiwan.

Leaders of the Pacific islands have said rising sea levels caused by climate change are their most pressing security priority.

Meeting PNG Prime Minister James Marape, Blinken said the United States would deepen its partnership across the board with PNG. They discussed economic development, the climate crisis, and the importance of continuing US engagement with the Pacific.

"The defence cooperation was drafted by the United States and Papua New Guinea as equals and sovereign partners," Blinken said at a signing ceremony.