10 Oct 2002

PNG paper ignores Chinese pressure over Taiwan reporting

4:58 pm on 10 October 2002

The Post Courier newspaper says it will ignore a request by the Chinese government not to cover today's Taiwan National Day celebrations in Papua New Guinea.

The Chinese embassy in Port Moresby has also sent a letter to the prime minister, Sir Michael Somare, and his minister to boycott the event.

The ambassador wrote to Sir Michael advising him that no cabinet offial attend the event as not to disturb the one-China policy.

It's not known if the PNG government will attend the event.

Last week, several ministers attended a function to celebrate the 53 anniversary of China's Communists seizing control of the mainland.