China Warns Australia Against Reclaiming Control of Darwin Port

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China’s ambassador to Australia has issued a strong warning to the federal government: back off from trying to take back the Port of Darwin — or risk damaging diplomatic ties.

Ambassador Xiao Qian, who recently visited the port, didn’t mince words. He labelled the Albanese government’s move to scrap the long-term lease held by a Chinese company as “ethically questionable.”

To rewind a bit: the Chinese company Landbridge was granted a 99-year lease to run the Port of Darwin back in 2015. Now, the federal government — under both Labor and the Coalition — has been pushing to bring the port back under Australian control. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously said they’ve been working “for some time” to reclaim the port.

But Ambassador Xiao isn’t impressed. He says trying to cancel the lease now that the port is profitable isn’t fair.

“It is ethically questionable to lease the port when it was unprofitable and then seek to reclaim it once it becomes profitable,” Xiao said in a statement.

He went on to say that Landbridge shouldn’t be penalised for investing in the port, and that this kind of move could sour the broader relationship between Canberra and Beijing.

“China and Australia are comprehensive strategic partners,” Xiao added. “We should be building mutual trust — not creating roadblocks.”

Xiao also emphasised that the lease deal was totally legitimate at the time and pointed out that Landbridge had poured significant investment into the port’s development.

What he’s really calling for now is a “fair, transparent, and predictable business environment” for Chinese companies operating in Australia — suggesting this push to take the port back sends the opposite message.

So, what’s next? That’s still up in the air. But this is shaping up to be a real test of how Australia balances national interest, foreign investment, and its complicated relationship with China.

Stay tuned with Aus News Lanka – the leading platform for news for Australians.