The Epoch Times By
The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised the government will publicly release their review of Darwin Harbor’s 99-year lease to a Chinese company with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Darwin Port, an important gateway and strategic resource hub for Australia, was leased to Chinese-owned Landbridge in 2015 for 99 years at a price of A$506 million (US$363 million), a decision made by the Northern Territory’s former Liberal government.
The lease raised concerns in both Australia’s Defense Department and the U.S. government, with former U.S. President Barack Obama conveying his concerns directly to then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
In response, the former Coalition Government led by Scott Morrison launched a review of the lease in late 2021, yet concluded that there was a lack of national security grounds to overturn the deal.
