China’s Wang Yi visits Papua New Guinea amid tensions over election

Ex-PM Peter O'Neill criticises timing of foreign minister's visit, saying no agreements should be signed with Beijing before poll

China's top diplomat has begun his visit to Papua New Guinea in the midst of the island's national election as Beijing races to salvage a controversial deal in a battle of influence with Australia and other western powers.

The visit of Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, came a few days after a proposed economic and security deal collapsed on Monday. But his visit has also been criticised by the former Papua New Guinea prime minister Peter O'Neill, who is campaigning to take back the top job, in a series of media interviews, during which he said no agreements should be signed with China before the national election.