Latest news with #DarwinPort
ABC News
4 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
PM to cover trade, investment in meeting with China's President
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is sitting down with China's President Xi Jinping today for the most important meeting of his six-day trip to China. While the Government is selling it as a trade and investment tour, there are also prickly issues to deal with - from human rights, to the controversial lease of Darwin Port.
AU Financial Review
5 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
PM to meet President Xi Jinping; injured Greens candidate to face court
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Beijing and will meet with China's President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang later today. The prime minister and his fiancée Jodie Haydon arrived in Beijing yesterday evening. Albanese has signalled that he will not back down on his election promise to force the Chinese owners of Darwin Port to sell the key asset, regardless of the pressure he may face from China's leaders. In a speech to a roundtable of chief executives who run some of Australia's and China's biggest companies tonight, Albanese will say stabilising the relationship with China has generated greater engagement that was in the interests of both nations. 'It is an ongoing process, with dialogue at its core,' he will say according to speech notes. 'It enables us to express our differences and to manage them, without our relationship being defined by them. This is about building stronger ties where our national interests are aligned.'
The Sun
12-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Australia PM seeks trade boost in China amid regional tensions
BEIJING: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese begins his second official visit to China, aiming to reinforce stabilised trade relations despite lingering geopolitical strains. The trip, spanning Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, comes after a turbulent decade marked by trade disputes and security disagreements between the two nations. Relations improved late last year when China lifted its ban on Australian rock lobster imports, the final barrier in a trade war that began in 2017. 'Trade is now flowing freely, to the benefit of both countries and to people and businesses on both sides,' Albanese said before departing. However, the visit coincides with rising regional tensions, particularly over China's expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea. Albanese emphasised that all issues, including security concerns, will be discussed with Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping. 'We cooperate where we can, we disagree where we must,' he stated. China's foreign ministry welcomed the visit, expressing hope for stronger bilateral ties. 'China hopes that through this visit, the two sides will strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and expand practical cooperation,' said spokeswoman Mao Ning. The trip occurs amid uncertainty over Australia's alliance with the US, as President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies push allies to diversify partnerships. Analysts note the delicate balancing act Albanese faces. 'The visit will not be a walk in the park,' said Huong Le Thu of the International Crisis Group. Security concerns persist despite trade improvements. Australia recently banned Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek from government devices over privacy risks, a move Beijing called politically motivated. Additionally, tensions flared in February after a military encounter between the two nations. Another contentious issue is Darwin Port, controlled by a Chinese firm but facing potential forced sale by Australia. Experts suggest China aims to downplay such disputes to project normalised relations. 'Beijing probably wants the Darwin issue to go away,' said analyst Jingdong Yuan. China remains Australia's largest trading partner, accounting for nearly a third of its total trade. Albanese's delegation includes business leaders attending a CEO roundtable in Beijing, with discussions extending to tourism and sports in Shanghai and Chengdu. - AFP
South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Australia's Albanese to address Darwin Port sale on China visit
When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives in China next week for his second official visit, he will have more than the typical diplomatic niceties to discuss with President Xi Jinping. Advertisement A major task on Albanese's agenda, besides routine topics like trade, will be to explain his country's stance on Chinese investment – in particular, addressing the controversy over the ownership and potential government-influenced sale of the Darwin the Post has learned from sources with knowledge of the matter. This will make for a difficult conversation, analysts said, as Beijing has been on high alert to future divestments following US action over Chinese-owned ports at the Panama Canal. Albanese will arrive in Beijing around July 15, one source said, as a 'friendly gesture' to keep relations on a positive track. Another source said the prime minister will attend the China International Supply Chain Expo , an event held in the country's capital annually since 2023. This year's edition will run from July 16 to July 20. Advertisement Australia's Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said Albanese's international engagements will be announced in 'the usual way' in reply to a request for comment.
ABC News
20-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
West Australian marine business actively considering bid for Darwin Port
The business behind two major new West Australian marine infrastructure projects is considering a bid for the Darwin Port, as the federal government seeks a buyer to get it "back under Australian control". The Darwin Port was controversially leased by the Northern Territory government to Chinese-owned firm Landbridge for 99 years in 2015, and since then the facility has been a lightning rod for national security debate. Although no security risks have ever been proven regarding the port's lease, both Labor and the Coalition promised to return the port to Australian operation during the recent federal election campaign. The Australian government has said it is negotiating with parties over the port's future, but it has not yet revealed exactly which companies or consortiums could be in the running to bid for the lease. Founder of the Kimberley Marine Support Base in Broome and the Onslow Marine Support Base in the Pilbara, Andrew Natta, said the private Australian business was actively considering a bid for the Darwin Port. While the Onslow and Kimberley projects exist as separate entities, they share a common founder in Mr Natta and overlapping shareholders. "If you look at what our business has done in Western Australia … it makes sense for us to consider the opportunity, for sure," Mr Natta said. "If you look at our history and you look at what we're investing in in Broome, the piece of infrastructure [Kimberley Marine Support Base] that we're building now is almost $250 million. Mr Natta said he had not yet met with representatives from the federal or NT governments over his business' potential ambitions to take on the Darwin Port, but that it was likely on the cards for the near future. "At this point in time we're definitely saying that there is interest, and more than likely, yes, we would go forward and [meet with government]," he said. Both the Kimberley and Onslow port infrastructure projects have been vocally supported by the West Australian government, which has praised their potential to build capacity across multiple industries. Mr Natta said the aim would be to bring a similar ethos to "enhancing" the Darwin Port. "If we were to consider Darwin Port, we would be investing in a way that is very generational, very patient, but at the same time, enhancing," he said. He did not weigh into the controversy surrounding Darwin Port's current leaseholder, Landbridge, but said he believed there was merit in having the facility back in Australian hands. "I don't have a comment on the current ownership other than I think that it works very well when we have an all-Australian partnership, and that we can help facilitate those that need a port," he said. While the federal government has not yet revealed who it has been speaking to regarding the Darwin Port's future, a number of companies have reportedly shown interest. US private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, which has strong links to the Trump administration, has reportedly been working towards a joint bid for the port with Australian-registered firm Toll Group. Neither company has confirmed if that bid is going ahead. The federal government has also said it has been speaking with superannuation firms over the port's future. Landbridge Group has repeatedly said it is not searching for a buyer. Earlier this month, Landbridge's non-executive director for Australia, Terry O'Connor, told 7.30 he believed the company had been subjected to a campaign of "myths and mistruths", including by ministers in the Australian government, over the port's lease. Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said in a statement on Friday that "the Australian government is working closely with the Northern Territory government on next steps". "It would not be appropriate to comment further on matters that may be the subject of commercial negotiations," she said. The ABC understands the federal government has been approached by a number of interested parties. NT Treasurer Bill Yan said the territory government was "working alongside our Commonwealth counterparts in the best interests of Australia and the NT". "We will not pre-empt that work," he said.
