Taiwan to Close Papua New Guinea Office, End New Spot LNG Contracts

Taiwan said on 6 November 2026 that it would close its representative office in Papua New Guinea, withdraw its personnel and end technical assistance after Port Moresby renewed demands that the mission shut. Taipei also said it had already suspended purchases of Papua New Guinean liquefied natural gas on the spot market and would not sign new spot contracts.

The decision was set out in Taiwanese Foreign Ministry press release No. 553, dated 6 November. The ministry said Papua New Guinea had again demanded that staff at the Taipei Economic Office in Port Moresby leave by a deadline. It described the decision to close the mission as its own diplomatic response and said it would reallocate resources to other international partnerships.

The dispute began in July, when Papua New Guinea's foreign minister announced that the office should close as part of the country's one-China policy. Taiwan objected and kept the office operating while talks continued. Papua New Guinea maintains formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, while the Taipei mission had provided a channel for practical exchanges without formal diplomatic recognition.

Taipei said it would end technical missions, medical assistance, scholarships and training programmes in Papua New Guinea, while making arrangements for existing projects and staff safety. The announcement did not provide a schedule for completing the withdrawal or a quantified estimate of the effects on programme beneficiaries.

The gas decision has a separate commercial dimension. Taiwan said it had planned approximately 500,000 tonnes of spot LNG purchases from Papua New Guinea during the first half of 2026, but had already stopped spot-market buying and would not conclude new spot contracts. The ministry said Taiwanese purchases historically accounted for about one-third of Papua New Guinea's total LNG exports. That historical share must not be confused with the smaller spot-market volumes now affected; the announcement did not establish that all existing long-term gas contracts had been cancelled.

Taiwan said it had secured alternative gas supplies and did not expect the spot-purchase suspension to undermine its own energy security. The effect on Papua New Guinea's export earnings will depend on contract terms, alternative buyers and future deliveries, none of which were quantified in the announcement.

Taiwan's ministry accused China of applying political and economic pressure to limit Taipei's international presence. That is Taipei's allegation, not an independently established finding about why Papua New Guinea renewed its demand. Beijing previously welcomed the July closure decision. Papua New Guinea's current explanation, any new Chinese response and the status of existing LNG commitments require separate confirmation.

The immediate verified development is Taiwan's formal decision to close the office and discontinue specified cooperation and spot LNG purchasing. Follow-up reporting will track the actual withdrawal, Papua New Guinea's official response, programme termination dates and evidence of changes in LNG deliveries or revenue.