Landbridge Group is a Chinese-based company that purchased Australia’s Darwin port in 2015, in the north of the country. Their operations have gone smoothly since, and have even reported increased performance. However, the Albanese government is now moving to force the company out, saying the port should be “in Australian hands.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the Australia Broadcasting Company on April 4, that Canberra is already seeking out potential buyers for the Darwin port, and Foreign Minister Penny Wong ehoced that “in the current circumstances, this piece of critical infrastructure should remain in Australian hands,” reported ABC.
After the push by the U.S. Trump Administration to force Panama to distance itself from China, including the sale by Hong-Kong-based CK Hutchison of the ports on the Panama Canal to BlackRock, it should be asked whether Washington is pushing other countries to end their relationships with Chinese companies as well.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles was directly asked this on April 7, but he refused to answer, saying only, “I’m not going to go into all the advice that we get.” The ABC coverage claimed it has been told that American officials have raised concerns about the Chinese company’s lease on the port.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian responded to a question about it on Monday, April 7, that: “We urge Australia to provide a fair, non-discriminatory and predictable business environment for Chinese business there, do not overstretch the concept of national security and do not politicize normal business cooperation.”
