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It might look like an artillery shell and weigh as much as an explosive but it’s a bottle of wine and ‘no danger at all’, insists China
Papua New Guinea police found a 32kg shell-shaped object in a shipping container at a construction site in Port Moresby and arrested four Chinese nationals. China’s embassy says it is a wine bottle that poses no danger, while police treated it as a possible explosive and secured the area.
Police and military explosive disposal experts examined the object and moved it to a secure facility. An Australian broadcaster cited unnamed sources identifying it as a Chinese Type 59 artillery projectile, but that identification has not been independently verified; PNG police also rejected claims it was merely a dummy. The dispute comes as China and Western countries compete for influence in the Pacific, where PNG has recently signed a defence agreement with Australia.
In short
- PNG police secured a 32kg shell-shaped object found in a shipping container.
- China’s embassy says it is a harmless wine bottle.
- Claims it is an unexploded artillery round remain unverified.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The object’s size and shell-like appearance reasonably warranted caution, and police had a duty to secure it until specialists could assess whether it posed a risk. The reported expert examination and move to a secure facility reflect a prudent response while its identity remained uncertain.
The case against
The Chinese embassy says the object is a wine bottle and poses no danger, and the reported identification as a Type 59 projectile relies on unnamed sources and has not been independently verified. On that evidence, treating the object as a confirmed weapon or linking the arrests to wider geopolitical competition would go beyond what is established.