Prime Minister, James Marape has urged Papua New Guinea students studying in China to remain focused on their education, live with purpose, and prepare themselves to carry the country forward into its next 50 years.
Speaking to PNG students in Guangzhou on Wednesday evening, April 29, 2026, Prime Minister Marape said the Government’s investment in overseas education was deliberate because Papua New Guinea’s greatest asset was not its natural resources, but its people.
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“For me, you are the most important asset. It is not the oil, gas, gold, or everything else we have. Our human resource is the most important asset,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“You are the reason why we are at work. Tonight, you represent a cluster of Papua New Guinea’s future that we are trying our best to shape.”
Prime Minister Marape said in a statement that PNG’s future prosperity depended on building a strong, educated, disciplined, and globally competitive generation of young Papua New Guineans.
“Our country will not be prosperous if our human resource is not secured for the better,” he said.
He said the decision to send students abroad, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), was part of a long-term national strategy to prepare young Papua New Guineans for leadership in government, business, churches, communities, and the global economy.
The Prime Minister told the students that Papua New Guinea’s diversity was not a weakness, but a national strength.
“We come from over 800 different tribal settings and language groups, yet in the unity of that diversity, we have found a symphony of unity,” he said.
“Hold your heads high. You come from the most diverse nation on earth. The fact that we stand as one people, one nation, one country 50 years on is a major achievement.”
Prime Minister Marape encouraged students to see themselves first as Papua New Guineans, saying this was the mindset the country needed as it moved through its 50th anniversary and into the future.
He also shared his own personal journey, recalling how his father sent him to school with no material inheritance, but with faith and education.
“My father told me: ‘I have no money to pass on to you. I have given you Jesus, and I now put you on the road of education,’” he said.
“Walk the path of education, and education will bring you to places you have never imagined in your life.”
Prime Minister Marape urged students not to lose heart when they faced homesickness, hardship, financial pressure, or personal struggles while studying away from home.
“Hang on and keep going. Do not be discouraged. Tears are part of life, but get up and keep going,” he said.
“You are not an accident. God created you for a purpose. Find that purpose and pursue it.”
He said the Government would continue to review and improve student support arrangements through PNG’s overseas missions, including the Embassy in Beijing.
“We will look at the policy that supports your studies and see where we can step up support. But my only ask is this: do not take your focus away from your certificates,” he said.
“Focus on your studies. Finish your certificate, and if you can, go for the next one.”
Prime Minister Marape also reminded students to respect the laws of the countries they live in and to protect Papua New Guinea’s reputation overseas.
“Do not break the law of the land you are in. Live within the law and you will always be safe,” he said.
He encouraged students to build friendships and networks beyond the PNG community, saying the world was now a smaller place and Papua New Guineans must be confident global citizens.
“The networks you build today will grow with you into the future,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“We sent you for a purpose — not just to be PNG resources back home, but PNG resources in the world.”
The Prime Minister said China’s rapid development, including cities such as Shenzhen, showed what education, innovation, discipline, perseverance, and hard work could achieve.
He urged PNG students to learn from China’s progress and apply those lessons to their own lives and future contribution to Papua New Guinea.
“Study hard, find your place, and prepare yourselves to help build a prosperous country,” Prime Minister Marape said.