Weapon or wine bottle? China disputes reports of artillery shell in Papua New Guinea

Chinese authorities have dismissed reports that a suspected China-made artillery shell was found in a commercial shipping container in Papua New Guinea, saying it is a "shell-shaped wine bottle". Police in Port Moresby arrested four Chinese nationals last Friday after the 32kg object was found at a construction site in the capital city. Authorities were looking into whether it was a live device, local reports said then, with police commissioner David Manning describing it as "a very concerning discovery".

In a report on Wednesday, the Australia Broadcasting Corporation cited unnamed sources identifying the object as an undetonated 130mm Chinese Type 59 Artillery Projectile that contains chemical explosives and a fuse. The BBC has not independently verified this. Papua New Guinea police had earlier dismissed speculation that the object was "merely a dummy", local newspaper Post Courier said.

However, the Chinese embassy said in its statement that it is "virtually impossible" for an illegal military-grade artillery shell to be smuggled out of China to Papua New Guinea.