BLUF
In 2017, China offered to build Papua New Guinea (PNG), the tallest building in the country. But now, the tower—touted at the time as a symbol of ‘friendship between the two nations’—sits empty.Summary
This article by Natalie Whiting, writing for ABC-Australia, makes the following points:
- The building, known as the Noble Centre, was built by a Chinese state-owned enterprise.
- The 23-storey tower has been deemed uninhabitable after discovering more than 70 defects, which regulators say threaten people's safety.
- People are beginning to question the quality and benefit of some Chinese aid and investment.
- PNG is at the centre of a geopolitical contest for influence between nations including China, the US and Australia.
- With multiple countries seeking influence in PNG, some experts say there needs to be more oversight over the kind of investment and aid PNG accepts.
References
Recent Runway Posts related to this topic:
- PNG COLLECTION | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
- RAAF RUNWAY: RATIONALE, GUIDELINES, LEARNING OUTCOMES, ETC
References from the Web:
- FEB 2021 Locals in Papua New Guinea speak out as China's proposed industrial fishing park sets off alarm bells in Canberra—ABC
- JAN 2022 Australia to fund PNG port upgrade amid strategic rivalry with China—AFR
- APR 2022 "symbol of friendship" becomes "illegal dangerous building": papua's "belt and road" commercial building now has 75 construction defects—SBS
Source Information:
- Article Source: ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
- Media Check: ABC News - Media Bias Fact Check (mediabiasfactcheck.com)
- RAAF RUNWAY: RATIONALE, GUIDELINES, LEARNING OUTCOMES, ETC |
