China calls 32kg object a liquor bottle, US says unexploded shell

A 32kg mysterious object recovered from a construction site in Papua New Guinea has sparked a diplomatic dispute between China and the United States, with Beijing describing it as a liquor bottle and Washington identifying it as an unexploded artillery shell.

The object was found last week at a construction site in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. Following the discovery, local police arrested four Chinese nationals, raising questions about the object's identity and how it ended up there.

The Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby said in a statement on Facebook that the object was not an artillery shell but an ordinary liquor bottle shaped like a shell. It insisted that the object posed no danger.

The embassy also argued that China has some of the world's strictest firearm control laws, making the illegal smuggling of military-grade artillery shells from the country highly unlikely.

However, Australian public broadcaster ABC disputed China's explanation. Citing sources familiar with the matter, it reported that the object was an unexploded Chinese-made 130mm Type 59 artillery shell containing explosive chemicals and a fuse.

According to the report, an X-ray machine provided by Australia played an important role in identifying the object. Papua New Guinea police reportedly examined it using the equipment.

The US Embassy in Port Moresby also rejected China's claim, saying it was in direct contact with Papua New Guinea's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit.

After reviewing the publicly available evidence, the US government concluded that the recovered object was an unexploded artillery shell, not a liquor bottle.

The US Embassy described the matter as a serious public safety concern, stressing that the people of Papua New Guinea deserved accurate information and a full and impartial investigation.

It also praised the country's police and defence forces for handling the situation and reaffirmed Washington's commitment to supporting Papua New Guinea's security, safety and sovereignty.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy said it was providing local police with information to assist the investigation and would wait for the final investigative report.

The conflicting claims have yet to be resolved, leaving the object's actual identity subject to the outcome of the investigation.

The dispute has also sparked widespread amusement on social media. Many users questioned how a liquor bottle could weigh 32kg.

One Facebook user asked where else in the world such a heavy liquor bottle could be found, while another described it as the most explosive liquor bottle they had ever seen.

The controversy comes amid growing strategic competition between China and the United States for influence in the Pacific region.

Last month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a delegation from the Pacific region that Beijing's relations with Pacific island countries were not part of geopolitical competition but were based on mutual cooperation and the principle of South-South cooperation.

China and Papua New Guinea recently marked the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in September.

Earlier, Papua New Guinea closed its economic office in Taiwan, a move welcomed by Beijing. China considers self-governed Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out using military force to bring the island under its control.

Source: The Independent, ABC

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