Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape stated there is a "high possibility" that his country would not engage in a potential conflict involving Australia and China, despite having signed a mutual defense treaty with Australia. This treaty, known as the Pukpuk treaty, marks Australia's first new military alliance in over 70 years. It includes a clause that considers an armed attack on either nation as a threat to both countries' peace and security. The agreement commits both nations to respond to common dangers in accordance with their constitutional processes.

In an interview, Marape emphasized the importance of Papua New Guinea's sovereignty. He remarked, "This treaty was constructed within the fullest ambit of respecting sovereignties, and [each country] making their own calls." He added, "In a conflict, we don't expect Australia to drop everything and run to us."

Marape clarified that the decision to engage in conflict would ultimately rest with the defense force commanders of each country. He expressed a preference for peace, stating that if a conflict were to arise between the United States and China, he would encourage Australia to pursue peaceful resolutions before resorting to military action. "Our relationship with Australia will mean that we sit at a decision-making table, and we will say, look, give peace a go, not war," he said.

The Prime Minister downplayed the likelihood of a conflict with China, asserting, "I don't necessarily see China as an enemy. We trade with China, we do business with China, and so there is no need for an alarmist approach in this conversation." He also questioned Papua New Guinea's military capabilities, asking, "What does PNG have to offer right now? At the moment, our military capacity is not at a space where we are an active participant."

The mutual defense commitments have raised concerns regarding Australia's obligations if a conflict were to occur between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Marape clarified that the Pukpuk treaty does not obligate Australia to assist Papua New Guinea in such a scenario. He stated that his country maintains a "healthy dialogue with Indonesia" and expressed confidence that Indonesia would not be offended by the treaty. "They clearly understand where our need is," he said, noting that his government did not consult Indonesia before signing the agreement. "Not at all, it's a matter between PNG and Australia."

While the treaty aims to enhance the interoperability and integration of the defense forces of both nations, Marape indicated that the establishment of Australian military bases in Papua New Guinea is unlikely at this time. He stated, "It will be PNG troops in PNG, we're building our own PNG defense force." However, he acknowledged that Australia is among several countries that have utilized facilities in Papua New Guinea under various defense agreements, describing it as an amplification of existing arrangements.