China disputes artillery shell report in Papua New Guinea
The gist
China's embassy in Papua New Guinea said a 32kg object reported as a suspected artillery shell was a shell-shaped wine bottle.
Police are still investigating, and the competing accounts remain unsettled.
How it unfolded
- recentlyPolice in Port Moresby arrested four Chinese nationals last Friday after the 32kg object was found at a construction site, and a bomb squad was deployed.
- recentlyPapua New Guinea police had earlier dismissed speculation that the object was "merely a dummy", local newspaper Post Courier said.
- Nov 3, 2026China's embassy in Papua New Guinea said the object was a shell-shaped wine bottle, citing an on-site verification by a company involved in the case, and said it was awaiting the police investigation's findings.