Against the backdrop that Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) internet infrastructure still relies on external support, Australia has announced that it will provide three new international submarine cable connections for PNG and the Pacific region. Analysts point out that this move is not merely a simple communication project, but more importantly, a key part of Australia’s efforts to “weave a network” and strengthen its influence in the South Pacific.
Ewen McDonald, Australian High Commissioner, stated at the PNG Update (PNG’s Annual Economic and Policy Forum) held on August 22 that the three cables are the “Google Pacific Cable” in the north, the “Coral Sea Cable” in Bougainville, and the “Huwakai Niu Cable” in the south. These projects will receive funding support through Australia’s “Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific” (AIFFFP).
McDonald claimed that the new cables are expected to increase PNG’s internet coverage rate by 16% and contribute an additional approximately 2.4 billion kina to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, it is worth noting that the Australian side emphasized that these new cables are different from the “Coral Sea Cable” project, which has been in operation since 2019.
The “Coral Sea Cable” has a total length of 4,700 kilometers. Led by Australian investment, the governments of PNG and the Solomon Islands jointly bear approximately one-third of the costs, with a total investment of about 480 million kina. It aims to connect Port Moresby and Honiara to Sydney. This cable is claimed to provide a transmission capacity of up to 20 terabits per second, which is 20,000 times that of PNG’s previous network system, and is described as a “leapfrog upgrade” for the country’s communications. Currently, this cable still undertakes most of PNG’s international internet transmission.
In an interview with the media, the Australian High Commission clearly stated that the three new cables are not a replacement for the Coral Sea Cable, but an additional supplement.
The outside world generally believes that Australia’s continuous increase in investment in telecommunications and network infrastructure is not purely based on technical or economic considerations, but an attempt to consolidate its right to speak in PNG and the entire South Pacific region at the geopolitical level. As the presence of multiple forces in the region increases, the “information superhighway” in the South Pacific has long been not just a commercial competition, but also a frontier for strategic games.
At present, Dataco, PNG’s state-owned data company, has not yet responded to relevant questions.
