Australia aims to reclaim Darwin port amid China tension
Australia is seeking to regain control over the port in Darwin, which is currently leased by the Chinese firm Landbridge. The government has been critical of the 2015 agreement for years and now is accelerating efforts to address the situation, amid tensions with Beijing and pressure from Washington, reports Bloomberg.
Australia plans to terminate the controversial deal made nearly a decade ago, under which the Chinese company Landbridge Group secured a 99-year lease of the strategic port in Darwin.
While the decision to lease the port was made by the Northern Territory government in 2015, the issue has been a point of contention for years—not only in Australia but also in the United States, which has an important training facility nearby, according to Bloomberg.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles stressed in an interview with Bloomberg TV that such infrastructure shouldn't be managed by a company under Chinese government control. He noted that the current administration has had reservations about the arrangement from the outset and is actively pursuing a change in the port’s ownership.
There is a warning from Beijing
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to regain control over Darwin even before the May elections.
Although Australian-Chinese relations have improved since 2022, Beijing is warning against the unilateral termination of the agreement. China's ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, reminded that Landbridge has invested significant resources into the port.
Marles also addressed U.S. expectations regarding increased Australian defence spending. He mentioned that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had politely encouraged them to take this approach, while also pointing out that Australia is developing additional partnerships beyond its ties with the United States.
The Australian minister also issued sharp criticism of Beijing’s actions, stating that China is carrying out the most extensive conventional military buildup since the end of World War II, all while lacking strategic clarity and offering no guarantees.
He added that this context has prompted Australia to significantly enhance its military capabilities.
