The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports that a Chinese holding company, WYW, plans to spend about A$39 billion to build a city on the island of Daru in Papua New Guinea, which is just 50 kilometers from Australia. The Australian government is concerned about the Chinese invasion of its backyard and has said it will discuss the matter with the Papuan government.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that according to leaked documents, Hong Kong-registered WYW Holdings plans to build a “New Daru City” on Daru Island in Papua New Guinea’s Western Province, covering an area of about 100 square kilometers, which would include an industrial zone, a seaport, a business district and a resort and residential area. Resort and residential areas.
The Daily Mail (UK) also reported that the plan will cost A$3.9 billion. The newspaper also noted that China’s desire to plant its flag in Australia’s backyard at a Time when Sino-Australian relations continue to deteriorate raises concerns that it may have ulterior motives, perhaps secretly planning to establish a naval base there.
The Guardian pointed out that although Papua New Guinea’s Western Province is located in the borderlands, Daru Island is only 50 kilometers from Australia’s outer islands, Saibai Island, and less than 200 kilometers from the Australian mainland, so the matter has raised security concerns in Australia.
The Chinese company, WYW Holdings, wrote to Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape in April last year that the ambitious investment and development plan would cover areas such as Daru Island in the Western Province and would be carried out on a private build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. This means that the company engaged in the development can own the plan for a certain period of time.
WYW Holdings said it has already held preliminary discussions with representatives of the Western Province. However, a spokesman for Malaprop told the ABC that the prime minister had no knowledge of the matter.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said he looked forward to discussing the matter with the Papua New Guinea government. He also stressed that Australia has a very close relationship with both the Malaprop and Papua New Guinea governments.
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