--- title: "Four Chinese nationals detained in Papua New Guinea over object resembling artillery shell: PRC embassy claims it is a wine bottle" description: "Four Chinese nationals have been detained in Papua New Guinea after an object resembling an artillery shell was found at the Port Moresby port. The Chinese embassy claims it was a wine bottle in the shape of a cannonball." date: 2026-11-04T00:14:05.028Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/chinese-nationals-detained-papua-new-guinea tags: [papua-new-guinea, china, port-moresby, artillery-shell, arrest] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Four Chinese nationals detained in Papua New Guinea over object resembling artillery shell: PRC embassy claims it is a wine bottle ![An object resembling an artillery shell lying on the ground at Port Moresby port](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/04/kitaytsy-arrestovany-v-papua-novoy-gvinei/kitaytsy-arrestovany-v-papua-novoy-gvinei-1.webp) ## Key Points - On October 30, an object resembling an artillery shell was found in a shipping container at Port Moresby port; four Chinese nationals were detained. - Police and military cordoned off the site and seized the object for analysis; the detainees remain in custody. - On November 3, the Chinese embassy stated the item is a cannonball-shaped wine bottle and is not dangerous. - Both parties are awaiting official results from the police investigation. 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. ## Accounts differ ### Nature of the discovered object - **Papua New Guinea Police and Military:** The discovered object is treated as an artillery shell; the area was cordoned off, and bomb disposal experts examined it and moved it to a secure storage facility. ([vietnam.vn](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/trung-quoc-len-tieng-ve-vat-the-nghi-dan-phao-khien-4-nguoi-bi-bat-tai-papua-new-guinea)) - **Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby:** Based on company information and on-site inspection, the object is a wine bottle shaped like a cannonball and poses no danger. ([vietnam.vn](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/trung-quoc-len-tieng-ve-vat-the-nghi-dan-phao-khien-4-nguoi-bi-bat-tai-papua-new-guinea)) *Where they agree:* An object was discovered in a shipping container at Port Moresby port, leading to the detention of four Chinese nationals; the object was cordoned off and seized for analysis. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Китай комментирует предполагаемый артиллерийский обстрел, в результате которого в Папуа-Новой Гвинее были арестованы четыре человека.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/trung-quoc-len-tieng-ve-vat-the-nghi-dan-phao-khien-4-nguoi-bi-bat-tai-papua-new-guinea) - Dates (Oct 30 detention, Nov 3 embassy statement), number of detainees (4), police actions (cordoning, seizure), and the content of the embassy's statement regarding the wine bottle are confirmed. The nature of the object remains disputed pending analysis results. ## FAQ ### How many people were detained and why? Four Chinese nationals were detained after an object suspected to be an artillery shell was found in a shipping container at the Port Moresby port. ### What does the Chinese embassy claim? The PRC Embassy stated that based on an on-site inspection, the item was a wine bottle shaped like a cannonball and poses no danger. ### Where are the detainees now? The four Chinese nationals are in custody in Port Moresby, and the seized object has been sent for analysis.