In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic tension, China has issued a stern warning to Australia over plans to take back control of the Port of Darwin. Beijing has cautioned that such a move could lead to “enduring pitfalls” in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
An editorial published in the Chinese Communist Party-controlled Global Times declared that any attempt by the Albanese Government to reclaim the strategically significant port under the guise of national security would jeopardize the “healthy and stable development” of China-Australia ties.
“If the Darwin Port issue is further politicised, or forcibly taken back under the pretext of so-called national security,” the editorial stated, “it would become another negative typical case that affects the healthy and stable development of China-Australia relations.”
Background of the Deal
The Port of Darwin was leased in 2015 to Landbridge Group, the Australian subsidiary of a Chinese privately owned conglomerate, for $506 million under a 99-year deal brokered by the then Country Liberal Northern Territory Government. The arrangement immediately drew international criticism, including concerns from the United States, which had recently expanded its Marine presence in the region.
Critics have long argued that the lease compromised national security, given the port’s strategic significance for both economic and military operations in northern Australia.
Political Consensus and Military Upgrades
Amid growing unease, both major Australian political parties—the ruling Labor Party and the opposition Coalition—committed during the May 2025 Federal Election campaign to reclaim the port from Chinese control.
In parallel, the Australian Defence Force has ramped up its presence in the Top End. Brigadier Matthew Quinn recently highlighted ongoing infrastructure upgrades aimed at enhancing the military’s force projection capabilities during a sod-turning ceremony earlier this month.
Geopolitical Fallout
China’s latest warning underscores the broader geopolitical implications. Australia has been urging regional neighbours to be wary of accepting Chinese investment in critical infrastructure, and its own deal with Landbridge has been widely seen as contradictory to that message.
The situation adds further strain to a complex and often fragile China-Australia relationship, already tested by trade disputes, foreign interference claims, and broader tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
As Canberra weighs its next move, the eyes of the world—and especially the United States—remain firmly fixed on Darwin. The port, once a symbol of bilateral cooperation, has become a flashpoint in the evolving contest for strategic influence in the region.
