The plans by both the Labor and Coalition parties in Australia to revoke a 99-year lease on Darwin Port held by Chinese company Landbridge have drawn criticism from Beijing. Both major political parties have committed to acquiring the port back, irrespective of the election outcome, while the Chinese foreign ministry warns that politicising the lease could jeopardise the recently thawed Australia-China relations, which have been strained for years.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian urged Australia to maintain a fair business environment for Chinese firms and cautioned against exploiting national security concerns to interfere with normal business operations. The lease, originally granted to Landbridge in 2015 during the Turnbull government, is now under scrutiny. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton acknowledged the initial decision to lease was an error, vowing to either secure an Australian buyer for the port by the end of the year or forcibly acquire it at taxpayer expense, citing national best interests.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remarked that the government has been pursuing the return of the port for “some time” and aimed to reverse the sale carried out under the Abbott government’s 2014 asset recycling program, which encouraged the sale of public assets.
Since the Albanese administration took office in May 2022, Australia’s relationship with China has seen gradual improvement after a period marred by trade sanctions and diplomatic discord, largely due to Australia’s call for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and concerns over foreign interference. These tensions resulted in an estimated $20 billion loss in export trade for Australia.