On August 4 (local time), New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrived in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, aboard a Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft, officially commencing his visit to the country.
At the APEC Terminal in Port Moresby, Prime Minister Luxon was warmly welcomed by senior Papua New Guinean officials, including Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso, Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko, and National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop. A 19-gun salute and a ceremonial guard of honour were held at the scene, underscoring the PNG Government’s high regard for the visiting New Zealand leader.
It is understood that Prime Minister Luxon’s visit was made at the invitation of the PNG Government, ahead of the country’s upcoming 50th Independence anniversary celebrations. The visit aims to deepen the traditional friendship between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea and to further promote cooperation across various sectors.
According to the schedule, Prime Minister Luxon will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister James Marape on Tuesday, August 5. The two leaders are expected to engage in in-depth discussions on regional cooperation, development assistance, climate change, and trade and investment.
As a key player in the Pacific region, New Zealand has maintained close cooperation with Papua New Guinea in politics, trade, education, and people-to-people exchanges. This visit is widely seen as injecting new momentum into bilateral relations and contributing positively to peace and stability in the South Pacific.
