China remembers and helps...

China tells President, PM to ensure continuity in economic pacts

November 17, 2016, 9:56 pm  - www.island.lk

by Zacki Jabbar

The Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang has asked President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to ensure that incidents such as the suspension of the Colombo Port City Project, do not happen again.

Addressing the China - Sri Lanka Business Meeting for Investment and Trade held at " The Ocean" in Kingsbury Hotel on Wednesday, which has a clear view of the Colombo Port City, now renamed as the Colombo Financial City,the Ambassador said "During my recent meetings with both President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, I made it clear that incidents such as the suspension of the Colombo Port City, which has caused losses to both our countries, should not happen again. Projects should be implemented in terms of the legal contracts entered into.I hope changes in government would not lead to changes in policies relating to economic agreements."

Xianliang revealed that he had also told Wickremesinghe not to emphasise too much on Sri Lanka’s geographical location, since it would make officials do nothing and wait for foreign investments to fall into their laps.

Despite having recently criticised Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, who, he said, " was asking for more aid , while complaining that Chinese loans at a two percent interest rate was too high", the Ambassador noted that there were no major problems in Sino-Lanka relations, which dated back to 1630 years ago.

The Chinese envoy said that 65 years of diplomatic ties and the 65th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Pact would be celebrated next year, which was a testimony to friendly ties between the two countries.

Chairman of the visiting Council for Promoting South-South Cooperation of China, Lyu Xinhua said that the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government had informed his delegation that it welcomed Chinese investments.

" We have a hard working and well informed Ambassador in Yi Xianlinang, who is open to discussions with your business community," he observed adding that his country would work to strenghthen friendly relations between China and Sri Lanka.