Papua New Guinea's cabinet has approved a contentious mutual defense treaty with Australia, the Pacific country's prime minister said Thursday, as Canberra seeks to deepen ties with the region and counter Beijing's rising influence.
The deal will see the two nations commit to defending each other from armed attacks as they face "emerging threats" to their security.
But it ran into controversy in Papua New Guinea over fears it would erode the country's hard-fought sovereignty and non-aligned foreign policy.
Officials from the Pacific nation's government's legal office and foreign ministry confirmed the cabinet had approved the deal on Oct. 1.
Prime Minister James Marape said the treaty reflected "the depth of trust, history, and shared future between our two nations."
"This treaty allows PNG's defense capacity to be elevated by leveraging Australian defense capabilities," he said.
"This partnership strengthens our ability to respond to our country's key security priorities," he added.
The agreement will now go to the country's parliament for ratification.
The deal, known as the Pukpuk treaty, ensures that "any activities, agreements or arrangements with third parties would not compromise the ability of either of the Parties to implement the Treaty," a nod to China's growing influence in the Pacific.
