PNG remains friend to all as it courts US President this month

The race to have influence in the Pacific is reaching unprecedented momentum. China is seen by Western allies as a threat to Pacific's peace and stability.  Who should PNG be courting?

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the country is ready to receive and host United States President Joe Biden.

He released an official statement about Biden's visit after the White House confirmed it.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape

Biden will make a historical visit to Papua New Guinea on Monday May 22, 2023.

It would be a three hours stop over for Biden enroute to Australia.

Eighteen Pacific Island countries leaders' will also be in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea during that period and they will have the opportunity to meet the US President as well.

President Biden will have a bilateral meeting with PNG Prime  Minister James Marape and the other Pacific Island leaders.

The United States has recently opened a modern embassy office at Konedobu in Port Moresby and is funding electricity projects in Papua New Guinea.

Commentators say they can't recall when any US president has visited PNG, let alone any Pacific Island nation and this is certainly historical.

The Royal PNG Constabulary has already begun security preparations work for the US presidents visit.

Police Commissioner David Manning said details about the operations will not be disclosed but the security personnel have undergone some comprehensive training with their Australian counterparts during the hosting of Apec in 2018.

Apart from the US President, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi will also be visiting PNG and the Pacific Island leaders will be meeting with him for the Forum for India Pacific Islands Corporation.

Prime Minister James Marape says PNG and other Pacific Island nations cannot be ignored when conversations concern the Indo-Pacific.

"With our combined forest and sea areas, we have the world’s greatest carbon sink, and the biggest sea and air space on earth. We also face the greatest threat to our existence as climate change affects our lifestyles and our economies," Marape said.

Marape said he was honoured that the US President had accepted the invite to visit PNG after their meetings in New York and Washington recently.

The US and its allies Australia and New Zealand have been wary of China's interventions in the Pacific and are stepping up their presence and development projects in the Pacific.

Marape has maintained that PNG remains committed to its foreign policy of friends to all and enemies to none, essentially trumpeting PNG will court China and anyone in progressing development agenda.