Australia decides against canceling Chinese company’s lease of strategically important port

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian government has decided against canceling a Chinese company’s 99-year lease on strategically important Darwin Port despite U.S. concerns that foreign control could be used to spy on its military. The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said on Friday after an investigation of the eight-year-old lease that current monitoring and regulation measures are sufficient to manage security risks to critical infrastructure such as the port in Darwin. The United States is concerned that Chinese port access would enhance intelligence gathering on nearby U.S. and Australian military forces. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese directed his department to investigate whether the lease should be changed or canceled after his government was elected last year.