Papua New Guinea (PNG) will join Australia's national rugby league competition, after signing a deal that obligates them to shun security ties with China.
Australia will provide A$600m (£301m, $384m) over ten years to set up the team – which will be based in Port Moresby and compete from 2028 – and help develop the game at a grassroots level across the Pacific region.
In exchange, PNG signed a separate pact which it says reaffirms its commitment to Australia as its major security partner.
The precise terms of the dual deals are confidential, but the BBC understands they allow Australia to withdraw funding if PNG enters a security agreement with a nation outside the so-called "Pacific family". That term is widely accepted to exclude China, despite Beijing's efforts to gain a foothold in the region.
If Canberra pulls out, the NRL is then obligated to drop the PNG team.
Government sources say the deals do not give Australia veto power over PNG security agreements. But their framing does have the effect of eliminating almost every other potential partner - and Mr Nobetau said the announcement could be seen by some in PNG as "an exertion of Australian power over PNG sovereignty".
Oh, you think?
"China puts in a lot of money into sport infrastructure… which is sort of what China is good at… [but] China is not going to be offering any alternatives in this space," Mr Nobetau said.
Yeah cool, I'm sure the people of PNG need professional rugby teams more than they need roads and hospitals.
Fuck me the Australian government is evil.
Channel 9 News just reported on this and the reporter was so fucking sinister. "Rugby is taken very serious in PNG, so now it looks like the PNG government is going to have to think twice about working with China, or there could be riots." 
Like straight up acting like the Mafia. The mask isn't just off, it's been burnt to ashes.
"In celebration of the 50 year anniversary of PNG formal independence from Australia, the Prime Minister has authorised peacekeeping operations to ensure the protection of
mining assetsthe people of PNG from China"Still not reaching the levels of some colonisers though
Show
why does australia even exist
literally any of the large countries nearby could conquer the entire continent in a day
anyway I hope PNG adopts the American way and tears up their treaty 2 years from now
It's America's most prominent military base in the southern hemisphere
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
literally any of the large countries nearby
There aren't really any large countries nearby. For example, the closest large country is Indonesia, and the capitals of Indonesia and Australia are as far away as London and Kabul are. The equator is pretty close which distorts distances visually in normal maps, and there's a whole country of stuff to get through before you reach most of the economic and population centres.
The only country capable of that sort of wild force project is US empire
Australia is the same size as the continental US. You definitely could not conquer it in a day
What bunch of rubes on the PNG side signed that deal? Modern neocolonial deals usually have a less idiotic quid pro quo, something that gives a bit more plausible deniability to the comprador government than a fucking rugby team.
I assume some sort of corruption. No doubt someone powerful in PNG is getting money out of this.
But yeah, I'm surprised PNG agreed to this, considering Australian media is openly gloating about how PNG is subservient to their whims.
PNG play badminton or tabletennis, get funding from China for a decent sport and you won't sacrifice your young on the altar of concussion, ladbrokesportsbet and the necrotic beast known as the 'Commonwealth'. Also better infrastructure, because it can be multipurpose for other indoor sports (basketball, volleyball), climate controlled, doesn't require gigatons of water and maintenance keeping turf alive, and badminton and table tennis are better sports for older folk too.
We cannot let China protect the trade routes with China from China
A scenario that could only be dreamed up by league fans. Build a wall on the Barassi line
