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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
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China and Sri Lanka plan to restart discussions on a free-trade agreement, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said on Friday, following a high-level meeting between the two countries.
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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China has been making increasing inroads into South Asia with its Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at financing critical infrastructure in dozens of countries across the world.
02:35
Belt and Road Initiative explained
Belt and Road Initiative explained
In 2017, Sri Lanka signed over control of a Chinese-financed port and land around it to Beijing after incurring heavy losses, to the alarm of the United States and regional power India.
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