China's government said on Thursday that Papua New Guinea has decided to close Taiwan's office in the ​country, a move Beijing said it highly appreciated.

The Pacific ‌has long been an area for diplomatic competition between China and Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territory with no right to the trappings ​of a state. The democratically ruled island rejects China's sovereignty ​claims.

The Papua New Guinea foreign ministry did not respond ⁠to requests for comment, and Reuters was unable to immediately ​find a government statement confirming the decision.

Speaking at a regular news ​briefing in Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the Papua New Guinea government's decision to close the Taipei Economic Office in Papua New Guinea was "highly ​appreciated" by China.
Taiwan's foreign ministry had no immediate comment.

China's embassy ​in Papua New Guinea said in a statement that the "right decision" to close ‌Taiwan's ⁠office would "further consolidate political foundation for the development of China-PNG bilateral relations".

Taiwan has formal diplomatic ties with only three Pacific Islands nations - Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands - but had maintained a de ​facto embassy in ​Papua New Guinea. ⁠It also has a similar office in Fiji.

In 2020, a Taiwanese diplomat ended up in hospital in ​Fiji after two Chinese diplomats stormed into a reception ​trying ⁠to gather information on who was attending.

Papua New Guinea had replaced its Taiwan trade mission with an economic office in 2023, citing financial ⁠challenges.
Only ​12 countries maintain formal diplomatic ties with ​Taiwan.

-Reuters