The United States will be able to station troops and ships at military bases in Papua New Guinea (PNG) under a new security deal that could be pivotal in a clash with China over Taiwan. The new defence cooperation agreement adds Papua New Guinea, which spans close to 180,000 square miles across the South Pacific, to a growing arc of regional alliances to counter China’s expanding military ambitions.

The United States will be able to station troops and ships at military bases in Papua New Guinea under a new security deal that could be pivotal in a clash with China over Taiwan.

The United States will be able to station troops and ships at military bases in Papua New Guinea (PNG) under a new security deal that could be pivotal in a clash with China over Taiwan. The new defence cooperation agreement adds Papua New Guinea, which spans close to 180,000 square miles across the South Pacific, to a growing arc of regional alliances to counter China’s expanding military ambitions.