Papua New Guinea will gain its own team in Australia’s rugby league in a soft diplomacy deal linked to limiting Chinese influence in the South Pacific.

In separate agreements with Nauru, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, Australia is attempting to edge out China’s influence in the region.

A team from the Pacific nation will join Australia’s National Rugby League in a $400 million deal that deepens ties while denting China’s regional security push.

The "soft power" aspect to this sports diplomacy initiative has never been a secret. But in the game of regional politics, Australia went in for the hard tackle.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stood alongside Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape in Sydney on Thursday to announce a deal that would see the Pacific nation enter a tea

Australia is banking on sports diplomacy to lure Papua New Guinea away from China’s sphere of influence. It has signed an agreement to invest A$600m (£301m) over 10 years to establish a new rugby league club,

A historic $600m deal to give Papua New Guinea an NRL team has dashed China’s hopes for a security pact with Australia’s nearest neighbour under a provision allowing the agreement to be terminated if PNG undermines the nations’ “strategic trust”.

SYDNEY: Australia will spend US$385 million to establish a team from Papua New Guinea in its rugby league competition, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday (Dec 12), a move designed to help ward off China. Papua New Guinea has long lobbied for ...

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. The Pacific nation has produced many stars of Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) and has long been lobbying to join the franchise.

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