Australian fighter jets will patrol the skies of Papua New Guinea for a week to protect world leaders at the most significant international meeting ever held there.
The fighter pilots will be some of 1500 Australian military personnel supporting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Port Moresby in November.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, United States Vice President Mike Pence and other world leaders will join Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the event.
PNG asked Australia for help preparing for the meeting, and Australia agreed to provide at least $130 million worth of "in kind" support for security and logistics.
That includes the fighter jets, naval ships, and special forces soldiers who will support PNG police if needed.
Of the 1500 Australians involved, most will be based in Australia providing support, with about 500 of them based in Port Moresby on the HMAS Adelaide or in other roles.
Most of the attending leaders will stay in PNG during the meeting, after Australia said it was highly confident the security arrangements would meet their expectations.
It's understood Australia has also provided the PNG government with support developing the policy agenda for the APEC meeting, which this year is focusing on the digital economy.
Australia also expects PNG will want to show leadership on free trade and investment, given it is also an export-oriented country.
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says Australia is taking a global leadership role in pushing for a solid set of rules for digital trade.
"Businesses need certainty around how and when they can transfer data across borders, sufficient freedom to responsibly do so and flexibility to safely store data wherever they choose to do so," he said on Wednesday.
"These are all issues that, in some way, would be covered through a set of international digital trade rules."
APEC Leaders Week will be held from November 12 to 18.
