In early 2024, Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko confirmed that the government was in talks with China about a potential security and policing deal. According to reports by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), China offered to assist PNG with police training, equipment, and surveillance technology. This raised concerns in Australia, with Canberra viewing it as a further attempt by Beijing to increase its economic and security influence throughout the Pacific. In 2022, China and the Solomon Islands signed a security pact that provided for the “deployment of Chinese police, military personnel, and other law enforcement forces to the Islands.” US officials described the pact as “very troubling” while the Australian government stated that it could “undermine stability in our region.”
Unable to compete with China economically, middle powers like Australia are increasingly adopting new “soft power” tactics aimed at preventing Beijing from establishing a military and economic foothold in the region. This was evident in late 2024 when the Australian Government announced plans to spend $600 million of taxpayer money to support PNG’s inclusion into the National Rugby League (NRL) – the world’s premier Rugby League competition. The agreement included $60 million to be spent on a license fee to the NRL, with the remaining $540 million divided between football operations and social welfare programs. As the country’s national sport, PNG Prime Minister James Marape and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese argued that this agreement was not just about Rugby League. It was also a “national unity and economic transformation project” that aimed to increase education levels, reduce crime rates, and encourage overseas investment.
Anthony Albanese portrayed this agreement as evidence that “Australia is serious about working with our Pacific family members on the aspirations that we have.” For PNG, this aspiration was a Rugby League team, a symbol of national unity. For Australia, it was about security. Media reports suggested that the deal included a security provision that would allow Australia to withdraw funding if Port Moresby agreed to any security agreement with Beijing. It also included a commitment that Australia would remain PNG’s “security partner of choice.”
In October 2025, Australia and PNG signed the Pukpuk treaty, Australia’s first new alliance in more than seventy years. The treaty, which was ratified in July 2026, included a commitment to the “mutual defence of both countries” and a promise to support “the other in an armed conflict.” It also included a pledge – aimed at limiting China’s influence – not to “undertake any activities with third parties that compromise the purposes of this treaty.” The announcement of the treaty also coincided with the unveiling of PNG’s NRL franchise name, the PNG Chiefs, who are set to enter the competition in 2028.
It is still too early to measure the success of Australia’s sports diplomacy. However, the Australian Government views it as a key component of its foreign policy in the Pacific. In July, the Albanese government announced a further $90 million in funding for Rugby Union in Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. It remains unclear whether Australia will sign similar security agreements with these nations.
Further Reading:
Costa (2026) The Evolution of Australia’s Sports Diplomacy in the Pacific.
Piper (2025) League versus Union: Australia’s rugby diplomacy needs a game plan.
Sasingian (2026) The PNG Chiefs: How rugby league can foster a genuine fair go.