Chinese State-Owned Companies Own More Australian Water than Sydney Harbour Holds

A farmer walks near the shells of dead mussels lying in the dried-up bed of the Namoi River near the north-western New South Wales town of Walgett on Oct. 6, 2019. David Gray/Getty Images

Concerns about China’s investments in Australia’s water interests have been re-sparked by recent ABC coverage, highlighting inadequate government scrutiny over foreign investment in precious resources.

On May 6, ABC’s 730 program revealed that state-owned Chinese enterprises now own water entitlements in Australia. One of them is Unibale, an Australian subsidiary of state-owned COFCO Group (China Oil and Foodstuffs Corporation), China’s largest food processor, manufacturer, and trader.