Australian Prime Minister: Commitment to return Darwin Port to Australia is in the national interest

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday that Australia is committed to returning the important northern port of Darwin, which has been leased to a Chinese company for 99 years, to Australian ownership. Previously, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Zhao Qizheng warned that this move could trigger trade retaliation.

In 2015, the Northern Territory government sold Darwin Port to China's Landbridge Group for 506 million Australian dollars, a move criticized by the United States. A few years ago, the United States sent its first rotating驻扎 Marine Corps to Darwin. Currently, the US and Australia are expanding an airbase in northern Australia to deploy American bombers.

Albanese made the remarks during his official visit to East Timor on Wednesday, stating that his government has clearly expressed its desire for Darwin Port to be returned to Australian ownership. Albanese stated, "We are committed to ensuring that the port returns to Australian hands because it is in our national interest."

The owner of Darwin Port, Australia's Landbridge (Landbridge Australia), has not yet commented on this, but the company stated last November that the port's financial condition was sound. Zhao Qizheng told the media at a press conference on Wednesday that if the Australian government forced Chinese companies to sell Darwin Port, China would "take measures to protect the interests of Chinese enterprises."

According to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reporting, Zhao Qizheng said, "If Landbridge Group is forced to leave the port, I think this may affect substantial investments, cooperation, and trade between Chinese enterprises and this region in Australia."

This is not the first time that Zhao Qizheng has criticized Albanese's promise during last year's campaign to return this strategically significant northern port to local ownership. At the regular press conference on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jianzhong responded when asked about it, saying, "China is willing to reiterate that the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises obtaining the lease of Darwin Port through market methods should be fully protected."

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1855570253350924/

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