Sri Lanka Assures India of Chinese Commercial Intentions

Sri Lanka is striking a balance with its relationships with India and China

Sri Lanka has sought to allay India’s concerns over China developing a port at Hambantota by declaring that the deal is “purely commercial”.

“There is no question of allowing any Chinese Navy operations at the Sri Lankan port,” said Sri Lanka Minister for co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages, Mano Ganesan. “Chinese Navy cannot enter any place without the explicit permission of the Sri Lankan government,” Ganesan said while inaugurating the Public Relations Council of Sri Lanka under the aegis of World Communicators Council (WCC).

Sri Lanka is striking a balance with its relationships with India and China, he said and assured that his government would not do anything that might jeopardise its ties with its big neighbour. “Both the countries are important to us,” he said. .

Ganesan welcomed the idea of the Sri Lanka PR Council started with the support of Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) which is also part of the WCC. He expressed confidence that the communications profession would go a long way with the cooperation between the councils of the two countries.

Referring to the internal war that Sri Lanka fought for four decades, Ganesan expressed confidence that the new constitution, which is in the making, will ensure “real time peace”. He also assured that the Sri Lankan government will not allow any form of terrorism in the country. “We are a multi-ethnic nation with Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity co-existing in peace,” he said.