By CARMILLA KORAIKOVE-UPNG Journalism Student
PAPUA New Guinea’s Taipei Trade Office in Taiwan will no longer in operation as the National Executive Counsel (NEC) approved to close it permanently.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hon. Justine Tkatchenko announced this in a recent media conference in Port Moresby.
Minister Tkatchenko said the NEC’s decision follows assaults from PNG officials in Taiwan last year.
“We were completely embarrassed and ridiculed by the behaviour of certain officers that were running the office last year and that they were all called back immediately because of their behaviour in making PNG look absolutely stupid in the eyes of the world and especially Taipei,” the Minister said.
“PNG officials assaulted citizens in Taiwan with their drunkard disordered behaviour, drinking and driving and even belting their own wives in public which painted a bad picture of PNG. We have to respect the rules of sovereignty of other countries,” he said.
The minister explained that after twelve months of full analysis on the aspects and statistics of the Trade office in Taiwan, the office was not producing anything that could help his department.
He said for this reason, the government will set up a new office and will be called the ‘PNG Taipei Economic office’.
The new office will be a business A-zone official which will be run in conjunction with the People’s Republic of China and Taipei as well as the appointment of new officials,” added Hon. Tkatchenko.
Tkatchenko also clarified that the name of Taiwan Cultural office in PNG will now be renamed also as Taipei Economic Office.
“This is all to work together not only for the benefit of trade and work for Taipei, but also to work together with Chinese counterparts.”
The minister also clarified that PNG has supported China with their one China Policy since 1975 and will continue to do so as China is one of PNG’s biggest trading partners and that they respect the situation at hand.
He added that the NEC will be making more announcements to close other missions throughout PNG in the future, and not just Taipei.
Meanwhile, Minister Tkatchenko said the PNG officials in Taipei have been recalled to the department and will go through the proper process.
He has also directed that these people be automatically and completely removed from the Foreign Affairs Department and the Diplomatic Service.
