, ▁"[ i ] f ▁there ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁smaller ▁majority , ▁say ▁ 5 5 ▁or ▁ 6 5 ▁percent , ▁the ▁P NG ▁government ▁could ▁have ▁found ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁justify ▁really ▁stretch ing ▁this ▁out ▁and ▁having ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁neg ot iation ▁that ▁could ▁last ▁years ▁or ▁dec ades . ▁Now ▁with ▁such ▁a ▁phenomen al ▁majority , ▁it ’ s ▁much ▁harder ▁for ▁them ▁to ▁do ▁that ." ▁ ▁Dam ien ▁C ave ▁of ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁refer endum ▁would ▁serve ▁as ▁an ▁insp iration ▁for ▁West ▁Pap ua ▁separ at ists ▁in ▁Indones ia ▁and ▁for ▁vot ers ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁New ▁C aled onian ▁refer endum ▁for ▁independence ▁from ▁France . ▁C ave ▁noted ▁that , ▁as ▁with ▁other ▁Pacific ▁countries , ▁B oug ain ville ▁will ▁likely ▁make ▁ple as ▁to ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand ▁for ▁assistance ▁in ▁developing ▁its ▁institutions ▁while ▁China ▁and ▁potentially ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁may ▁offer ▁diplom atic ▁and ▁economic ▁partners hips ▁once ▁independence ▁is ▁achieved . ▁China ▁is ▁seeking ▁to ▁incorpor ate ▁an ▁independent ▁B oug ain ville ▁into ▁its ▁B elt ▁and ▁Road ▁In iti ative . ▁ ▁International ▁re actions ▁ ▁– ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Emb ass y ▁in ▁Port ▁M ores by , ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea ▁wrote ▁on ▁Twitter , ▁con gr at ulating ▁B oug ain ville ▁and ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea ▁for ▁" a ▁well - run ▁and ▁peace ful ▁refer endum ▁process