2025年5月26日，华东师范大学澳大利亚研究中心主任陈弘接受《环球时报》英文版采访，谈澳大利亚拟撕毁达尔文港租约。
'It's ethically questionable to lease Port of Darwin when it was unprofitable and reclaim it when profitable': Chinese Ambassador to Australia
Photo taken on March 14, 2017 shows a bird's eye view of Darwin Port's cargo wharf in Australia. Photo: Xinhua
Responding to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election campaign pledge to revoke the operating rights of China's Landbridge Group over the Port of Darwin in a joint media interview, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said that it is ethically questionable to lease the port when it was unprofitable and then seek to reclaim it once it becomes profitable.
Albanese mentioned in April during the election campaign that his government was working on a plan to force the sale of Darwin Port from its Chinese owner on national interest grounds, Reuters reported.
In an interview published on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Australia on Sunday, Xiao said that Chinese side has consistently maintained communication with both the Australian federal government and the Northern Territory government, where the port is located, through diplomatic channels.
He elaborated that a decade ago, the Landbridge Group secured the lease for the Port of Darwin through an open and transparent bidding process, in full compliance with Australian laws and market principles.
Over the past 10 years, Landbridge Group has made significant investments in maintaining and building Darwin Port's infrastructure, optimizing its operations and management, and expanding its customer sources, said Xiao.
He pointed out that these efforts have brought remarkable improvements to the port, turning its financial situation from loss to profit and contributing positively to local economic and social development. 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.
Albanese's remarks regarding Darwin Port may have been prompted by the Australian federal parliamentary election scheduled for May this year. Being tough on China has almost become a standard move for Australian political parties during election periods, and hyping up the Darwin port issue at this time may be aimed at diverting voters' attention from economic problems,ChenHong, director of the Australian Studies Center of East China Normal University, told the Global Times.
Both the Coalition and Labor have vowed to end Landbridge Group's 99-year lease of the port after years of debate, Australian media ABC reported.
Another factor may come from pressure from the US, as the port is Australia's northernmost maritime facility, situated on the edge of Southeast Asia, and sits close to a military training facility used by visiting US marines, a Chinese expert on Australian affairs, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times.
The US is concerned that a port operated by a Chinese company near military facilities could pose safety risks, thus it is using security as a reason to pressure the Australian government to examine the project; in response, some Australian politicians are contemplating following the US lead regarding the Darwin port, believing it will enhance Australia's standing in the eyes of Washington, said the anonymous expert.
ABC reported in April that American officials have continued to raise concerns about the Chinese lease [over Darwin port] over recent years, and some US military maps of the region which include Darwin harbor have a Chinese flag placed on top.
Australia's defense minister Richard Marles has repeatedly refused to say if security agencies recommended Darwin Port be returned to Australian ownership, or if the Trump administration pushed to end a Chinese company's lease of the strategic facility, according to ABC.
Xiao said the lease agreement is a commercial contract. We hope the Australian side will view the Darwin Port project objectively, honor its binding commitments under the contract and respect the autonomous decisions made by businesses based on development needs, he noted.
China and Australia are comprehensive strategic partners. The two sides should foster mutual trust, as mutually beneficial cooperation aligns with our shared interests. We hope the Australian federal government and the Northern Territory government will create a fair, transparent, and predictable business environment for Chinese enterprises operating in Australia, the ambassador noted.
If the Australian government does forcefully reclaim the operating rights of Darwin Port, it may not only be required to pay huge compensation in accordance with the relevant clauses of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, but also bear the risk of damaging Australia's business environment and its credibility, said Chen.
