A leading Australian policy think tank has warned the federal government that the Chinese military may seek to control ports in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney via state-owned enterprises (SOE) as part of a broader ambition to project the communist regime’s power globally. In a report by Charlie Lyons Jones titled “Leaping Across the Ocean” (pdf), the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) identified the three Australian ports as a potential part of this strategy. Jones warned the federal government that Beijing views these locations as “strategic strong points” where China can use civilian control to establish economic gain and military dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. A 2019 academic report on Chinese maritime investment supports Jones’ argument, noting that Chinese maritime terminal operators saw Australia as a “strategic pathway” to China’s expansion in the Oceania region. The 2019 academic report focussed in particular on the Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney ports. “Beijing’s greater willingness …