Ports, power and risk: Landbridge's Darwin Port fight tests future of global investment rules
08 May 2026

Ports, power and risk: Landbridge's Darwin Port fight tests future of global investment rules

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Chinese company Landbridge is fighting to hold on to Darwin Port after Australia said it may reclaim the lease. Landbridge has launched arbitration at the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes, potentially the first investor–state case the Australian government will face at the World Bank body.
Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Dr. Zhou Mi, Deputy Director, Institute of American and Oceania Study, Chinese Academy of International Trade & Economic Cooperation, and Dr. Edward Lehman, Founder & Managing Director, Lehman, Lee & Xu to break down how a routine commercial deal turned into a national security flashpoint, who's likely to win, and what this case means for China-Australia ties, investor confidence, and the future of global investment rules.