ISP Tearline Team Provides Update on Chinese Infrastructure Projects in Papua New Guinea

ISP’s Tearline student research team recently published an open-source report examining the status of four critical People’s Republic of China (PRC) infrastructure projects in Papua New Guinea (PNG):

• Ihu Special Economic Zone (ISEZ) (Gulf Province)
• Momote Airport (Manus Province)
• Hoskins Airport (West New Britain Province)
• Gurney Airport (Milne Bay Province)

The team assesses that PRC contractors are likely experiencing project setbacks and stagnation at ISEZ and Hoskins and Gurney Airports, extending their presence at strategic PNG locations amid an increase in U.S. naval activity in the area. The strategic nature of the locations and the potential dual-use capacities of the individual sites constitute a need for monitoring. Given the defense partnership between PNG and the United States and concerns of PRC intelligence collection on Western military activity, the PRC’s working familiarity with key PNG aviation infrastructure and continued Chinese presence at the sites may be cause for attention. Read the full report HERE.

The report was a collaborative effort between ISP and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency as part of the agency’s Tearline initiative.