[Source/Observer Network Qi Qian] Recently, Australian officials have brought up old issues, threatening to reclaim the operating rights of the northern Darwin Port from China's Landbridge Group on the pretext of "security risks." However, former Prime Minister Turnbull admitted that he could have vetoed this transaction, which Americans "disliked," a decade ago. But the security agencies confirmed that there were no security concerns regarding the transaction.

On June 5 local time, Turnbull made the above remarks in an interview with Bloomberg in Singapore.

"At that time, the advice we received from the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) and the Ministry of Defense was that security issues had been resolved, and we did not need to worry too much," Turnbull said. After receiving the assurance from the security agencies, Landbridge Group obtained a 99-year lease for the port in September 2015. Turnbull served as the Prime Minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018.

When talking about the recent controversy over the operating rights of Darwin Port, Turnbull only said, "Times have changed."

Subsequently, Turnbull defended the current ruling party and the opposition party of Australia attempting to "renege" on the agreement, claiming, "We should face reality because even an Australian company cannot acquire part of the Chinese port facilities now."

Turnbull's interview with Bloomberg on May 5 Video screenshot

As the northernmost maritime facility in Australia, Darwin Port is considered to have significant strategic importance. In terms of trade, it is the closest Australian port to Asia and China; militarily, it is close to the long-term bases of the Australian Defense Force and the US military rotating in Australia. The US Marine Corps rotates troops annually for six months in Darwin City, where Darwin Port is located.

According to Reuters, the Australian government previously announced plans to invest 14 billion Australian dollars to "strengthen" the northern base. Last July, the US military was also reported to have quietly begun investing hundreds of millions of dollars in building military facilities in northern Australia to support the deployment of B-52 strategic bombers, F-22 stealth fighters, and others.

Back in 2015, when the Chinese company won the open bidding, this matter drew concern from then-US President Obama. Domestic media statistics show that over the past ten years, the operation project of Darwin Port has undergone at least three political and security reviews without cause. However, multiple reviews by successive Australian governments have shown that there are no so-called "national security risks" in Darwin Port, and the survey result in 2023 concluded that "this lease does not need to be canceled or modified."

However, during the recent election campaign, the ruling party and the opposition party of Australia revisited the "renegotiation" issue. Prime Minister Albanese, who was re-elected in May, stated that he hopes Darwin Port will return to "Australians' hands," even going so far as to say that if no buyer is found, he would be willing to nationalize Darwin Port.

Landbridge Group then criticized the two major parties in Australia for using the Darwin Port project as a "political football" and expressed disappointment. On May 26, Terry O'Connor, non-executive director of Landbridge Australia, said that in his view, this was another political manipulation by Australian politicians. "To be honest, I think this is just another common 'football match' before and after elections."

It is worth noting that according to Australian media reports, American private equity fund Cerberus has expressed interest in bidding. However, it remains unclear whether Albanese's government, which claimed to want to return Darwin Port to "Australians' hands," will support bids from other foreign entities. Landbridge Group clearly stated that it has no intention of selling the port operating rights.

Regarding the Darwin Port issue, China has previously responded. On May 22, Ambassador Xiao Qian of China to Australia answered questions about the Darwin Port issue in Darwin, the capital city of the Northern Territory of Australia. He revealed that China has consistently maintained communication with the federal government and the Northern Territory government through diplomatic channels.

When asked whether China believed that the relevant actions of the Australian government would affect bilateral relations, Xiao Qian emphasized four points:

First, a decade ago, the lease of Darwin Port obtained by Landbridge Group through the Northern Territory government was acquired through an open bidding process and fully complies with Australian laws and market rules.

Second, over the past ten years, Landbridge Group has invested heavily in maintaining and constructing port infrastructure, optimizing operations management, and expanding customer resources, bringing significant changes to the port. It helped turn around the port's operational losses and made positive contributions to the local socio-economic development. Such enterprises and projects should be encouraged rather than punished. It is morally inappropriate to rent out the port when it is losing money and then take it back when it becomes profitable.

Third, the lease is a commercial contract. We hope the Australian side can objectively view the Darwin Port project, earnestly fulfill the solemn commitment to the contract, and respect the autonomous decisions made by enterprises based on development needs.

Fourth, China and Australia are comprehensive strategic partners, and mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation serve the common interests of both sides. We hope that the federal government and the Northern Territory government of Australia can create a fair, transparent, and predictable business environment for Chinese enterprises operating in Australia.

On May 27, in response to the news that American private equity fund Cerberus planned to bid for Darwin Port, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated during a regular press conference that the relevant Chinese enterprise obtained the lease of Darwin Port through market means, and its legitimate rights and interests should be fully protected.

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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7512355961210667531/

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