Part 3/8:
China’s Firm Stance: No Lease for Australia, No Loopholes for China
China’s response has been unequivocal. Beijing has explicitly declared that Australia cannot take back control of the port of Darwin, framing it as a matter of national sovereignty and security. Interestingly, China’s own policies restrict leasehold rights over major commercial ports within its borders, raising questions about the consistency of Beijing’s stance.