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Canberra says ‘sturdy regulatory system’ in place to handle dangers to Port Darwin and different infrastructure.
Australia’s authorities has decided that it isn’t essential to cancel a Chinese language firm’s lease of a significant port following a nationwide safety overview.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s workplace mentioned on Friday that the overview discovered there was a “sturdy regulatory system” in place to handle dangers to Port Darwin and different vital infrastructure and that “current monitoring mechanisms are enough and can be ongoing”.
“Australians can have faith that their security won’t be compromised, whereas guaranteeing that Australia stays a aggressive vacation spot for international funding,” the Division of the Prime Minister and Cupboard mentioned in an announcement.
Chinese language-owned Landbridge was awarded a 99-year lease of the port in 2015 in a deal price 506 million Australian {dollars} ($390m).
The deal got here beneath scrutiny in recent times amid rising concern over China’s rising affect within the area and a shift in Australia’s defence posture in the direction of long-range deterrence.
Albanese’s centre-left authorities launched its overview of the lease after coming to energy final 12 months after an earlier overview beneath the earlier conservative authorities discovered no trigger to cancel the settlement.
Friday’s announcement comes amid indicators of a diplomatic thaw between Canberra and Beijing, which had been at loggerheads over points together with alleged interference in Australian democracy and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beijing has eased a variety of punitive commerce measures on Australian imports and earlier this month launched Australian journalist Cheng Lei after three years in detention.
Albanese is predicted to go to China earlier than the top of the 12 months, which might be the primary journey by an Australian chief to the nation since 2016.
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