China's ambassador warns Australia on buyback of key portListen to this articleChina's Landbridge group was granted a 99-year lease on the Port of Darwin in 2015. SYDNEY - China will act to defend its companies' interests if Australia forcibly buys back control of the strategic northern port of Darwin, Beijing's ambassador has warned. China's Landbridge group was granted a 99-year lease on the port in 2015, a widely criticised decision that led to stricter scrutiny of infrastructure sales. "We will see when it's time for us to say something, do something, to reflect the Chinese government's position and protect our Chinese companies' legitimate interests," he said. The ambassador warned that retaking control of the port could affect Chinese companies' investment, cooperation and trade with the Darwin region.