Sri Lanka port deal not a ‘debt trap’ set up by China, President Rajapaksa says
- Rajapaksa said Beijing and Colombo plan to restart talks on a free-trade agreement following a high-level meeting between the two countries
- He also rejected accusations that China wanted to trap Sri Lanka into mounting debt with the port deal
Seen as close to Beijing, Rajapaksa has appointed several members of his family to top cabinet positions since his party won a commanding majority in August’s parliamentary elections – including his brother Mahinda, who previously also served as president.
Negotiations on a free-trade agreement were last held in 2017.
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On Friday, Rajapaksa rejected accusations that China wanted to trap Sri Lanka into mounting debt with the port deal.
“Many geopolitical analysis interprets this project as a ‘debt trap’ set up by China to gain control over Sri Lankan affairs,” Rajapaksa told the Chinese delegation, led by Yang Jiechi, one of Beijing’s top diplomats.
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“I want to prove that it is not the case and that this large-scale project will help improve the living standards of the people,” he added.
The countries also agreed to deepen ties in the agriculture, education, tourism, water supply and health care sectors, according to a summary of the meeting released by Rajapaksa’s office.
