China's ambassador hits out at Australia's ‘questionable' Darwin Port plan
China's ambassador to
Australia has described the Australian government's plan to end a Chinese firm's control of the strategically located Darwin Port as 'questionable', saying the company should not be punished.
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Chinese company Landbridge Group was awarded a 99-year lease of the port in 2015, under a deal originally approved by the Northern Territory government, a move that was criticised by then US president Barack Obama.
Last month, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was working on a plan
to buy back Darwin Port from its Chinese owners on national interest grounds, saying the port needed to be 'in Australian hands'.
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Xiao Qian, China's ambassador to Canberra, said Landbridge Group had made significant investments in maintaining and building the port and had contributed to the local economy.
'Such an enterprise and project deserves encouragement, not punishment. 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 an embassy statement on Sunday.
Xiao said the Landbridge Group had secured the lease through an open and transparent bidding process. He expressed hope that Australia would view the project 'objectively'.
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'China and Australia are comprehensive strategic partners. The two sides should foster mutual trust, as mutually beneficial cooperation aligns with our shared interests,' he said, urging the Australian government to create a fair, transparent and predictable business environment for Chinese companies in Australia.
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