Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

No 'third country' should interfere in China-Sri Lanka ties: Beijing

No 'third country' should interfere in China-Sri Lanka ties: Beijing

CHINESE foreign minister Wang Yi said no "third country" should "interfere" in Sino-Sri Lankan ties.

His statement is an apparent reference to India's concerns over Beijing's big-ticket strategic projects in Sri Lanka.

Wang, who travelled to Colombo from the Maldives on a two-day visit during the weekend, said the friendly relationship between China and Sri Lanka serves the fundamental interest of both peoples, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

"It does not target any third party and should not be interfered with by any third party,” Xinhua quoted Wang as saying, in a thinly veiled reference to India.

China is seeking to deepen its ties with Sri Lanka, making billions of dollars of investments in ports and other infrastructure projects amid criticism that they are debt traps.

China's takeover of the Hambantota port on a 99-year lease for $1.2 billion (£880 million) debt swap drew international concerns over Beijing acquiring strategic assets far away from home.

The Hambantota port together with Colombo port city project where China is building a new city with reclaimed land in the sea was viewed with concern, especially in India as Beijing seeks to increase its presence in the Indian Ocean.

There have been global concerns over debt traps and regional hegemony by China using its Belt and Road (BRI) infrastructure projects.

China is doling out huge sums of money for infrastructure projects in countries from Asia to Africa and Europe.

The US' previous Donald Trump administration had been critical of the BRI and was of the view that China's "predatory financing" is leaving smaller counties under huge debt, endangering their sovereignty.

Last month, China suspended a project to install hybrid energy plants in three islands of Sri Lanka's north, citing “security concern” from a “third party”, amid reports of Indian concern over its location which is not far from its coast.

Wang, during his talks with Sri Lankan foreign minister G L Peiris, proposed to establish a forum for the development of Indian Ocean island countries, which observers say is an attempt by Beijing to expand its influence in the region.

“During my visit to several Indian Ocean island countries this time, I feel that all island countries share similar experiences and common needs, with… full potential for strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation,” a press release by the Chinese foreign ministry quoted Wang as saying.

"China proposes that a forum on the development of Indian Ocean island countries should be held at an appropriate time to build consensus and synergy and promote common development,” he said, adding that Sri Lanka can play an important role in it.

During his visit to the Maldives, he held talks with top leaders of the island nation to deepen its ties with China.

Six island nations are located in the Indian Ocean - Comoros, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles and Sri Lanka.

In a tweet, the Chinese embassy in Colombo described Sri Lanka as the "real Pearl" of the Indian Ocean.

In his meeting with Sri Lankan prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Wang praised the island nation’s leader as “an old friend to the Chinese people”.

Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in his meeting with Wang, raised Sri Lanka's deepening forex crisis and spiralling external debt and sought Beijing's assistance.

President Rajapaksa pointed out that it would be a relief to Sri Lanka if attention could be paid to restructuring the debt repayments as a solution to the economic crisis that has arisen in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a statement issued by the president's office.

It is estimated that Sri Lanka owes debt payments to China in the region of $1.5 (£11 bn) to 2 bn (£1.47 bn) this year.

(PTI)

More For You

Air India

The Amritsar-Birmingham and Amritsar-London Gatwick routes will each increase from three to four weekly flights, while Ahmedabad-London Gatwick will go from three to five weekly flights.

Air India to increase flights between UK and India from March 30

AIR INDIA will increase flight frequencies on key routes as part of its Northern Summer schedule, effective 30 March 2025.

In the UK, the airline will add three more flights on the Delhi-London Heathrow route, increasing from 21 to 24 weekly flights using a mix of A350-900 and upgraded B787-9 aircraft.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pablo-Escobar-merchandise-Getty

Escobar, killed by security forces in 1993, remains a figure of global interest, with his image appearing on souvenirs like T-shirts, mugs, and keychains. (Photo: Getty Images)

Colombia considers ban on Pablo Escobar merchandise

COLOMBIA’s Congress is considering a bill that would ban the sale of merchandise featuring drug lord Pablo Escobar and other convicted criminals.

The proposed law aims to curb the glorification of Escobar, who was responsible for thousands of deaths during his time leading the Medellín cartel, reported BBC.

Keep ReadingShow less
Assisted dying bill: Judge approval scrapped for expert panel safeguard

Polls show most Britons back assisted dying, with supporters calling for the law to reflect public opinion.

Assisted dying bill: Judge approval scrapped for expert panel safeguard

Eastern Eye

THE proposed new assisted dying law for terminally ill people will be amended to remove the requirement that a high court judge sign off on each case, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater said on Tuesday (11).

Opponents of assisted dying said the change would weaken the safeguards around protecting vulnerable people from being coerced or pressured into taking their own lives.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Malkinson

Malkinson, 59, has been struggling financially since his release and has been on universal credit for 19 months. (Photo: X/@NotThatBigIan)

Wrongful rape conviction: Andrew Malkinson to get 'significant' compensation

ANDREW MALKINSON, who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, will receive a six-figure interim compensation payment from the Ministry of Justice.

The payment comes more than a year after his conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in July 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
IMF team visits Pakistan to assess governance and corruption reforms

The assessment will shape structural reforms and examine protections for property rights and foreign investments

IMF team visits Pakistan to assess governance and corruption reforms

Eastern Eye

A TECHNICAL team from the International Monetary Fund met Pakistan’s chief justice Yahya Afridi on Tuesday (11) to conduct a Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment under the 2024 Extended Fund Facility programme.

The IMF team is in the country for a week-long trip to scrutinise the judicial and regulatory framework tackling governance and corruption as part of a £5.6 billion loan agreed last year.

Keep ReadingShow less