Projectile event in Port Moresby area, Papua New Guinea on Thu 29th October 2026

Four Chinese nationals have been detained in Papua New Guinea following the discovery of a Chinese-made 130 mm artillery shell inside a shipping container.

Local broadcaster EMTV reported the incident, citing a statement by the country’s Police Commissioner, David Manning.

The shell was seized on October 29 in the capital, Port Moresby. The suspicious object was discovered by a local contractor inside a shipping container that had reportedly arrived from overseas.

The following day, law enforcement officers detained four Chinese nationals whose involvement in the transportation of the ammunition is currently being investigated.

Following the discovery, the area was cordoned off, and explosives experts from the National Police and the Papua NewGuinea Defence Force were called in to inspect the object. Specialists used X-ray equipment previously supplied by Australia to examine its internal structure.

The examination confirmed that the object was a Chinese-made 130 mm artillery shell designed for Type 59 artillery systems, weighing 32 kilograms. Explosive material and a fuze were found inside.

The ammunition was seized and transferred to a secure storage facility. The investigation findings were handed over to investigators to establish the origin of the shipment and the circumstances surrounding its importation.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby stated that representatives of the company associated with the shipping container had conducted their own inspection.

According to their account, the discovered object is a wine bottle that merely resembles an artillery shell in appearance and poses no danger.

Chinese diplomats also stressed that strict controls on weapons circulation in China make the illegal export of military ammunition virtually impossible. They stated that they were keeping local law enforcement authorities informed about the progress of the investigation.

The United States has also become involved in the matter. According to AFP, U.S. military personnel contacted the explosive ordnance disposal specialists who examined the ammunition. The U.S. Embassy backed the findings of local police and rejected the Chinese side’s explanation.

Militarnyi previously reported that China’s state-owned shipping company COSCO may have used concealed equipment aboard commercial vessels to gather intelligence, according to U.S. officials. The alleged activities involved intercepting signals from military ships and aircraft operating near the coastlines of various countries.