Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told voters in the Falealupo constituency, ahead of next month's by-elections, that he had urged Chinese leaders not to stop the project.
The Faatuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi FAST Party government stopped the port project when it took office.
Tuilaepa claims the cancellation was due to the ongoing feud between the west and China.
He reminded these countries what the late South African President, Nelson Mandela, had said "your enemies are not our enemies".