It might look like an artillery shell and weigh as much as an explosive but it's a bottle of wine and 'no danger at all', insists China

As of November 5, 2026, Chinese authorities claim that a large object resembling an artillery shell found at a construction site in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, is actually a harmless "wine bottle." The object, weighing 32kg, was discovered inside a shipping container and prompted the arrest of four Chinese nationals. Police initially treated it as a potential live explosive but now await further investigation after an X-ray identification by Australian authorities suggested it might be a Type 59 artillery projectile with chemical explosives.

The Chinese embassy in Papua New Guinea posted on Facebook that the object poses "no danger at all," arguing it is impossible for such military-grade weaponry to be smuggled out of China due to strict firearm control laws. However, this claim has drawn skepticism and ridicule online, particularly since some sources have identified the object as a real explosive device containing chemical explosives and a fuse.

The incident raises concerns over security and diplomatic tensions between China and Papua New Guinea, with local police commissioner David Manning describing it as "a very concerning discovery" upon its initial finding.