Pompeo says China has brought bad deals and lawlessness to Sri Lanka
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the Chinese Communist Party was operating as a “predator” in Sri Lanka, as the top U.S. diplomat kept up tough criticism of China on a tour of Asia.
Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka from India as part of a four-leg tour aimed at bolstering allies against China’s increasing political and military inroads in the region in recent years.
“We see from bad deals, violations of sovereignty and lawlessness on land and sea that the Chinese Communist Party is a predator, and the United States comes in a different way, we come as a friend, and as a partner,” Pompeo told a televised news conference in the capital, Colombo.
In contrast to India, which is locked in a military stand-off with China and was the first stop on Pompeo’s trip, Sri Lanka is a close ally of Beijing.
China has invested billions of dollars in Sri Lankan ports and highways as part of its Belt and Road Initiative of transport and energy links, a programme the United States believes is designed to trap smaller countries in debt.
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said Sri Lanka wanted peace and good relations with all.
“Sri Lanka is a neutral, non-aligned country, committed to peace,” Gunawardena told the told the news conference.
“We hope to continue with our relations with the United States and other countries.”
(Reuters)
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Sri Lankans can decide it for themselves and they took it into account when they voted in the two recent elections, knowing the candidates have good strong friendship with China, For your information, that friendship and links runs thousands of years back and China has never betrayed Sri Lanka).
Thank you very much. Go home and try to stop your racist police killing black people in your country. Three nights ago they killed a mentally ill black man by pumping 14 shots into him. Pretty sick I would say. According to the police chief in that area police department does not have the money to buy tasers!!!! Why not go home and sort those things leaving us our problems to solve. Sri Lankans have been doing that thousands of years before the USA appeared on the map mate.
Of course,
As Indra says, Sri Lankans have the right to determine their destiny,
We want to build all the monuments in the villages where leaders were born.
We want the Port City in Colombo.
We want Power Plants that break down regularly.
We want the super highways where cows can roam in peace.
Never again allow Yahapalana to govern; the 20A will fix that problem.
If Yahapalana comes back, Port City will also be sold the Chinks.