Seized artillery shell is military: PNG police chief

Papua New Guinea (PNG) authorities have confirmed that an artillery shell seized by police in the country’s capital is a 130mm military round, PNG Police Commissioner David Manning said yesterday.

Four Chinese men were detained by police after the discovery of the shell in a shipping container last week.

Its authenticity was questioned by the Chinese embassy on Tuesday, which wrote on social media the object was a “shell-shaped wine bottle” that “poses no danger at all.”

Buildings are pictured in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on May 19, 2023.

Photo: AFP

The US embassy yesterday rejected the Chinese statement, writing on social media that the US military had “engaged” with bomb disposal experts in PNG about the object, which was a Chinese-manufactured artillery projectile and not a wine bottle.

The resource-rich but underdeveloped Pacific nation has defense ties with the US, as well as Australia.

The round was examined by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) bomb unit and PNG Defence Force explosive ordnance disposal officers, using X-rays to confirm its structure, Manning said.

“The RPNGC has confirmed that the artillery round seized in Port Moresby on 29 October 2026 is a 130mm military projectile,” he said in a statement.

The ordnance is being held in a secure facility and a “substantial” investigation is under way, he added.

Manning cautioned against speculating on social media.

“External agencies would do well to respect the role and functions of our nation’s police force, and avoid public commentary that could interfere with the investigation,” he said.

In Beijing, a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson yesterday said that the Chinese government “consistently required Chinese citizens and businesses overseas to strictly comply with local laws and regulations and not engage in any illegal activities.”

The Australian Broadcasting Corp had earlier reported, citing unnamed sources, that the undetonated Chinese Type 59 Artillery Projectile had chemical explosives and a fuse.

In its statement, the Chinese embassy said it was “virtually impossible for an illegal military-grade artillery shell to be smuggled out of China to PNG.”

“According to the company involved and following an on-site verification, the object in question — reported as an ‘artillery shell’ — is in fact a shell-shaped wine bottle. It poses no danger at all,” it said.

The US and Australia in the past few years have struck defense deals with PNG seeking to limit the security role of China in the Pacific islands.

China, a major infrastructure lender to PNG under its Belt and Road Initiative, had previously sought to build a navy base in the strategically located Pacific island state.