Weapon or wine bottle? China disputes reports of artillery shell in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea police had earlier dismissed speculation that the 32kg object was "merely a dummy".
Chinese authorities have dismissed reports that a suspected China-made artillery shell was found in a commercial shipping container in Papua New Guinea, saying it is a "shell-shaped wine bottle".
"It poses no danger at all," the Chinese embassy wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday, drawing sceptical comments.
Police in Port Moresby arrested four Chinese nationals last Friday after the 32kg object was found at a construction site in the capital city.
In a report on Wednesday, the Australia Broadcasting Corporation cited unnamed sources identifying the object as an undetonated 130mm Chinese Type 59 Artillery Projectile that contains chemical explosives and a fuse. The BBC has not independently verified this.