Sajith: China as important as India

Sri Lanka values its relationship with China as much as it values the one with India, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said yesterday talking to Indian news channel WION.

When asked by the journalist interviewing him whether he believed Sri Lanka was falling into a ‘Chinese debt trap,’ Premadasa said that Sri Lanka was a proud nation that did not tolerate intervention by anyone in any form.

“You didn’t answer my question. Is Sri Lanka getting closer to China in recent years. It recently approved a bill appointing a governing body to a USD 1.4 billion Chinese investment, the Port City. Is Sri Lanka falling into a Chinese debt trap?” she asked.

In response Premadasa said that Sri Lanka was a non-aligned country and that it valued its relationship with China.

The journalist also asked whether Sri Lanka should join the Build Back Better World (B3W), a G7 initiative to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative; Premadasa said Sri Lanka should join any initiative after careful consideration.

“If a project or an initiative is good for our economy, we must take part in it,” he said