Australia and Papua New Guinea’s defense forces will be integrated under a new security pact that will be signed this week, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday, as his government attempts to curb China’s security influence in the region. Albanese said he and his Papua New Guinean counterpart, James Marape, will sign the pact on Wednesday, a day after celebrating the South Pacific island nation’s 50th anniversary of independence from Australia. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will also be in the Papua New Guinea capital, Port Moresby, for the celebrations. “It is a very significant upgrade in our defense relationship,” Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. in Perth in Western Australia state before flying to Australia’s nearest neighbor. “It provides for mutual defense, which means that we will provide support for each other, provide for an integration of our interoperability of our assets and our respective defense forces,” Albanese added.

Full report : Australia and Papua New Guinea to sign defense pact as China’s influence grows.