Papua New Guinea is currently experiencing unrest, with residents resorting to smashing shops and looting. Chinese businesses have also been targeted, leading the Chinese Embassy in the capital city to protest (https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews/status/1745089178906288468) to the local authorities and call for the safety of Chinese citizens to be ensured.

The main cause of this unrest is the ongoing police strike. The police officers have taken to the streets because a significant portion of their salaries has not been paid. The government has been accused of implementing new taxes without informing the citizens, but the authorities assert (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/10/papua-new-guinea-capital-rocked-by-violent-riots-as-police-strike-over-pay) that technical issues in the system are to blame.

Throughout the day, numerous incidents of arson, robbery, and looting have occurred in the capital city of Port Moresby. Although the government claims that this is unprecedented in the city's history, it is important to note that Papua New Guinea has long been plagued by high crime rates, ranking second in the world for the number of crimes committed, despite the absence of armed conflict in the country. One of the main contributing factors to the current situation is the widespread poverty among the population.