PNG police report: wharf 'wine bottle' is a live Chinese artillery shell
A finalized Papua New Guinea police report contradicts the Chinese embassy's claim that a shell-shaped object found in a shipping container was a wine bottle.
What to know
- A finalized PNG police report identifies the wharf object as a live 130mm Chinese Type 59 artillery projectile with explosives and a fuse, contradicting China's 'wine bottle' claim.
- Four Chinese nationals arrested over the shipping container discovery remain in custody in Port Moresby.
- The dispute plays out as China urges PNG to avoid deals restricting third-party cooperation while Australia pushes to finalize a defence treaty with PNG.
“This enabled police and military explosive disposal experts to move in, examine the device and have it safely moved to be stored in a secure facility.”
David Manning, PNG Police Commissioner · ABC News ↗ · Oct 29
Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby Chinese diplomatic mission in PNGDavid Manning PNG Police CommissionerRoyal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Investigating police forceFour Chinese nationals Arrested suspects
How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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Dispute surfaces amid PNG-Australia defence treaty push
The competing claims emerge as China urges Papua New Guinea not to sign any deal that might exclude or restrict third parties from cooperating with the Pacific nation, while Australia works to finalize a landmark defence treaty with PNG.
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A large Chinese military-grade explosive was found in a commercial shipping container in Papua New Guinea. High-level sources told the ABC a police report finalised today identified the object as an undetonated 130mm Chinese Type 59 Artillery Projectile that contains chemical explosives and a fuse. https://www. abc.net.au/news/2026-11-03/pap…
2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
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Sure, Jan https://www. abc.net.au/news/2026-11-03/pap ua-new-guinea-artillery-shell-wine-bottle/107342264
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# BBC # News # World Weapon or wine bottle? China disputes reports of artillery shell in Papua New Guinea
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Police report identifies object as live Chinese artillery shell
A finalized police report, drawing on analysis with an X-ray machine donated by Australia, identifies the 32-kilogram device as an undetonated 130mm Chinese Type 59 Artillery Projectile containing chemical explosives and a fuse; the report has gone to criminal investigators.
“China backed coup o'clock in PNG?”
— mike_k@mstdn.social, Mastodon user · source -
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China backed coup o’clock in PNG? https://www. abc.net.au/news/2026-11-03/pap ua-new-guinea-artillery-shell-wine-bottle/107342264
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Chinese embassy calls the object a 'wine bottle'
The Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby posted on social media that a company linked to the incident conducted an on-site verification and found the object was a shell-shaped wine bottle, while saying it was keeping PNG police updated and awaiting official investigation findings.
“According to the company involved and following an on-site verification, the object in question — reported as an 'artillery shell' — is in fact a shell-shaped wine bottle…”
— Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby -
background
PNG police arrest four Chinese nationals over wharf shell find — A shell-shaped object was discovered in a commercial shipping container at a major Port Moresby wharf; four Chinese nationals were arrested and taken into custody, and police and military explosives experts secured the device.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by BBC Asia, 4d ago · also Independent UK, BBC
1 more headline
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first by SCMP, 5d ago · also SCMP China
and 1 smaller piece