Prime Minister Wickremesinghe: Chinese port is not a threat

The Port City Project in Colombo is not a threat, Sri Lanka’s prime minister said amid concerns Beijing is trying to boost its influence in the Indian Ocean.

The US$1.4bil (RM5.47bil) “Port City” represents the biggest single foreign investment received by the island, adding 233ha of real estate in the congested capital.

But it is controversial, as Beijing has been accused of seeking to develop facilities around the region in a “String of Pearls” strategy to counter the rise of rival India and to secure its own economic interests.

“The Port City is not a threat to anyone, it’s an opportunity for everyone to make money. The Chinese have not asked for any military base in Sri Lanka,” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was quoted by the AFP at a news conference.

Wickremesinghe described Sri Lanka as a “small country” before adding: “Sri Lanka will not allow in any way the security of other countries to be threatened by third parties.” — AFP