PERTH, Australia, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Australia's bi-polar attitude to foreign investment has again come under the spotlight after a News Ltd report claimed a Chinese property conglomerate won a land development tender at "taxpayer expense".
However, the Chinese company in question, Shanghai Zhongfu, has refuted the report, saying that it had not been officially notified of any decision regarding the bid for 515 million Australian dollars of potential farming land in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
As report on Wednesday in the national broadsheet The Australian, owned by Rupert Murdoch, it has won the right to develop land in the second stage of the Ord Valley expansion in Western Australia.
The massive "Ord expansion" project is part of a government strategy to continue the development of farming in the area.
Meanwhile, Duncan Calder, vice president of the influential Australian China Business Council (ACBC), joined a growing chorus of criticism for Australian media's hysterical reporting of foreign investment, particularly from China. He said Chinese investment should be welcomed not wasted.
Calder said, "There has been a fueling of fears of 'selling the farm' and negative perceptions surrounding China-backed investment. "
'Gangnam style' life of young rich in Chongqing
Feedback
RSS
