Chinese real estate company tries to usurp Australia's Keswick Island

Canberra/Beijing: – While the tension between China and Australia is festering, one more development adding to the tension has been reported. A private company from China has imposed sanctions on the residents of the island and has started interfering even with day-to-day life, including travel. There has been a severe reaction from the residents against this bullying by the Chinese company. Demand is being made that the Australian government should take tough action and relieve the population from the clutches of the Chinese company.

China Bloom, a Chinese giant in the realty sector, signed an agreement for a lease of 115 hectares of land on the Keswick Island, with the Queensland government. This agreement worth nearly $20 million is said to be for a 99 years lease. After taking possession of the land, the Chinese company started behaving arbitrarily with the locals. At the beginning of the year, the company put up a board of ‘No Entry’ in one of the areas on the seafront, banning entry for tourists and boats. After this became an issue, the board was removed and entry was allowed. But the company once again started bullying tactics over a while. Some of the citizens who had rented houses on the Keswick Islands were issued notices to vacate the houses. The airstrip on the island, for small planes, has been closed. Following this, the access to the National Park, adjacent to the island has been blocked. Restrictions have been imposed on the locals regarding renting their houses for tourism.

Intense reactions have started emanating from the local population over this arbitrary behaviour of the Chinese company. Jason Costigan, former parliamentarian from Queensland has made an aggressive demand to throw the company out of the island. He slammed the Chinese company saying ‘This is Whitsundays in Australia and not Wuhan from China’. He also pointed to the impending threat saying ‘The Chinese company is illegally acquiring Australian land. This development is against the Local and national interests.’

Local administration and the Chinese company refused to answer queries regarding the Keswick Islands. The Queensland spokesman said that they have instructed the Chinese company to sort out the issues through discussions with the locals. But the spokesman refused to clarify the government stand any further. Therefore, the locals have indicated to approach the Australian government directly.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has consistently taken an aggressive stand against China for the last two years. Only a few days ago, the parliament awarded the government with veto powers to stop the increasing Chinese influence, through new legislation. It is being said that although the law says foreign entities, the law is made to target mainly the Chinese entities. The law has a provision to review old agreements. If the agreement between Queensland and the Chinese company, is subjected to scrutiny, under this provision, the issue of Chinese interference in Australia may once again come on the anvil.