China’s envoy says Beijing will take ‘measures’ to protect Chinese company interests if Canberra seizes Port Darwin.
Published on January 29, 2026
China’s ambassador to Australia has warned Canberra against taking over a port that has been scrutinized for its strategic importance by leasing it to a Chinese-owned company.
On Wednesday, Xiao Qian criticized the Australian government’s moves as unethical and “no way to do business”.
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Landbridge Group, owned by Chinese billionaire Ye Cheng, has controlled Port Darwin, located in Australia’s Remote Northern Territory, since 2015 under a 99-year lease agreement.
Australian officials have reached a $350m lease deal with Shandong Province-based Landbridge in the hope the port’s expansion will boost the largely rural economy.
But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to return the port to Australian control during the campaign ahead of national elections in May last year, saying the facility should be run by a local company or government.
In an annual briefing to local media, Xiao said, “When you’re losing money, you want to lease it to a foreign company, and when it’s making money, you want to return it?”
The ambassador said Beijing would “take measures” to protect the landbridge’s interests if the Australian government tried to force changes to the lease agreement.
“We will see that it is time for us to say something, do something to reflect the position of the Chinese government and protect the legitimate interests of our Chinese companies,” he said without elaborating.
Responding to Geo’s comments during a visit to East Timor on Wednesday, Albanese reiterated his intention to return the facility to Australian control, describing it as a “national interest”.
Despite years of controversy over claims that the port deal posed a national security threat, several government reviews commissioned by Albanese concluded there was no reason to cancel or change the contract with the Chinese firm.
China is Australia’s top trading partner, with two-way trade totaling $218 billion in 2024-25, although relations between Beijing and Canberra have been tested in recent years by disputes over issues such as national security and human rights.