Peter Dutton laughs off 'provocative' remarks by top Chinese diplomat Wang Xining
ABCDefence Minister Peter Dutton has mocked China's acting ambassador to Australia after the envoy called the federal government a "sabre wielder" and warned it would damage its international reputation if it tears up a Chinese company's long-term lease of the Port of Darwin. Key points: Wang Xining said he wouldn't be surprised if Australia tore up the Port of Darwin lease He said Australian intelligence agencies were looking to get involved in "normal business operations" Defence Minister Peter Dutton described the comments as "comical" Wang Xining gave a wide-ranging interview to the Guardian Australia where he slammed Australia's plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and warned the government might expose its own citizens to the risk of a nuclear accident. "There's zero nuclear capacity, technologically, in Australia, that would guarantee you will be trouble free, you will be incident free," Mr Wang told Guardian Australia. The acting ambassador said he "wouldn't be surprised" if the government stripped the Chinese company Landbridge of its 99-year lease, saying Australia's intelligence agencies wanted to "stretch hand" into a "normal business operation".
History of this topic
Australia decides against cancelling Chinese company's lease of strategically important port
The HinduFederal government will not cancel Chinese company Landbridge's Port of Darwin lease
ABCConsider reclaiming Darwin Port from Chinese company Landbridge, committee advises federal government
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