Free Republic

Australia’s prime minister on Wednesday dismissed public concerns revealed by a U.S. opinion poll about a Chinese company leasing a strategically important port. The Australian newspaper reported Wednesday that the U.S. State Department had polled Australians via test message about their opinions about Chinese company Landbridge securing a 99-year lease over the Port of Darwin. Almost half those surveyed said allowing a Chinese company to manage the port posed “a lot of risk” to national security and nine in 10 said it posed at least some risk, according to U.S. government research obtained by the newspaper. …

A Chinese state-owned newspaper has sent a thinly veiled threat to Australia after an RAAF plane was detected patrolling above the South China Sea. The ominous Global Times editorial appeared to warn Australia its planes could be shot down if they continue their surveillance flights of the region, reports ABC. The article comes after the pilot of an RAAF P-3 Orion aircraft patrolling above the area was detected telling the Chinese navy via radio communications they were 'exercising international freedom of navigation rights.'