PM counters rumour of Chinese militarisation at Hambantota Port says Embassy

Tuesday, 24 April 2018 00:11 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Chinese Embassy yesterday said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has stressed that there is no issue of Chinese militarisation of the Hambantota Port at all.

The Premier had stated this when the Chinese Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan called on Wickremeinghe on Friday to exchange views on joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, including the Hambantota Port.

“The Sri Lankan Navy is the sole military force responsible for the security of the Port. Some foreign media irresponsibly hyped the question of militarization of the Hambantota Port, but time will eventually prove that the Hambantota Port is destined to embrace a prosperous and bright future in business,” the Premier Wickremesinghe was quoted as saying by the Chinese Embassy in a statement.

PM Wickremesinghe has highlighted that Sri Lanka and himself have always been strongly supportive of BRI. Sri Lanka attaches great importance to megaprojects cooperation with China, especially the Hambantota Port and the Industrial Park, Colombo Financial City (or Port City) projects. The Government hopes to work with the Chinese side to accelerate the implementation of the ongoing projects and attract more Chinese investment in order to promote economic and social development.

Ambassador Cheng briefed about President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech in the recently concluded Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference, and reaffirmed that China firmly upholds and supports economic globalization. China attaches great importance to the relations with Sri Lanka, and wishes to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries to actively push forward the practical cooperation under the framework of BRI so as to bring tangible benefits to the two countries and peoples.

Responding to recent baseless rumours regarding the so-called Chinese militarisation of the Hambantota Port, Ambassador Cheng pointed out that there are no military purposes for China to conduct friendly and pragmatic cooperation with Sri Lanka. China never interferes in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs and is willing to work with the Sri Lankan side to push forward the latter’s economic and social development by promoting a type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation.