Google Builds PNG Subsea Cables

Alphabet Inc. will build three subsea cables in Papua New Guinea, a project funded by Australia under the Pukpuk Treaty, a mutual defense pact. This $120-million effort aims to upgrade Papua New Guinea's digital infrastructure, linking its northern and southern regions and the Papua New Guinea — Bougainville autonomous region with high-capacity cables. The initiative is viewed by Australia and the United States as strategically important to counter China's increasing influence in the Pacific. Peter Tsiamalili, Papua New Guinea's acting minister for information and communications technology, stated the project reflects a shared commitment to advance digital security, regional stability, and national development. The cables are expected to lower internet prices, support economic growth, and attract investment from global digital enterprises. The Pukpuk Treaty grants Australian defense personnel access to Papua New Guinea's communications systems. The United States is also strengthening military ties with Papua New Guinea, having signed a defense cooperation pact in 2023. This project is part of a larger effort by Australia and the United States to fund subsea cables across the Pacific Islands, contrasting with past projects like Papua New Guinea's domestic submarine cable built by Huawei and financed by China's EXIM bank.