An incident is unfolding in Papua New Guinea that began as a potential security threat and has since developed into a diplomatic story. On October 30, according to Australian media reports, an object suspected to be an artillery shell was discovered in a shipping container at the major Port Moresby port. Four Chinese nationals were detained in connection with the discovery. Police and military explosive experts worked at the scene, cordoning off the area and seizing the object for further examination.
Police and military reaction
Papua New Guinea Police Commissioner David Manning praised the efforts of the personnel involved in responding to the incident last week. According to him, immediately after receiving reports of the artillery shell discovery, police acted promptly to neutralize the threat: the area was cordoned off to ensure the safety of nearby people, and police and military bomb disposal experts accessed the item, examined it, and moved it to a secure storage facility. The detained Chinese nationals are currently in custody in Port Moresby.
Position of the Chinese Embassy
On November 3, the Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby published a statement on social media reevaluating the nature of the discovered item. According to information from the company involved and results of an "on-site inspection," the object, which was considered a "firework" or shell, turned out to be a wine bottle shaped like a cannonball. The embassy emphasized that the item "poses no danger whatsoever."
Waiting for investigation results
Chinese officials also downplayed the possibility of illegal smuggling of Chinese military weapons into Papua New Guinea. They stated that they continue to provide the country's police with full information about the situation and are awaiting official results of the police investigation. Thus, the final status of the object—ammunition or a harmless souvenir bottle—will only be established after the examination is completed, and the four detainees remain in custody.
