Source : NEW INDIAN EXPRESS NEWS
Asked for his reactions to Sinopec deal with Sri Lanka at a media briefing here, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and exchanges and collaboration in various fields have delivered fruitful results.
“China and Sri Lanka today have a historic opportunity to build on what has been achieved and take the relationship into the next chapter. It is important to view bilateral relations from a strategic perspective and jointly build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future,” he said.
As Dissanayake concluded his visit, his second foreign tour after his last month’s visit to New Delhi where he committed not to allow Sri Lanka’s territory to be used against the interest of India, there is no word from both sides yet whether Sri Lanka would permit the controversial research ships of China, regarded as spy ships by India, to be berthed at Hambantota port.
India has flagged its concerns to Sri Lanka about the recurring visits of the Chinese vessels.
Sri Lanka’s one-year ban on foreign research ships visiting its ports ended last month, and there is no official announcement about its status.
A joint statement issued at the end of the Dissanayake’s talks here said, “the two sides share the desire to continue maritime cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual trust, openness and mutual benefit, and hold regular bilateral consultations on maritime affairs.”
It also spoke of an agreement to upgrade China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) under which Beijing has made billions of dollars of investments, which came under criticism for their lack of commercial viability, worsening Sri Lanka’s debt crisis.
In 2022, Sri Lanka announced its first sovereign default of its debt of about USD 46.9 billion, over 50 percent owed to China.
The Island nation managed to tide over the crisis with USD 4 billion in assistance extended by India followed by the IMF bailout package.
“The two sides were pleased to sign a Belt and Road cooperation plan to upgrade China-Sri Lanka high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and jointly open up new space for win-win development of higher standard, stronger resilience and greater sustainability,” it said.
It also said Sri Lanka reiterated that “it will never allow its territory to be used for any anti-China, separatist activities and will firmly support China on issues related to Xizang (Tibet) and Xinjiang.”
“Both sides reaffirmed mutual support on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns,” it said.
It said Sri Lanka firmly supports all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification and opposes “Taiwan independence” in any form.
Sri Lanka reiterated its commitment to follow an independent non-aligned foreign policy, it said.
SOURCE :- NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
