To sign the 'Hambanthota Port' agreement with China was a huge mistake - Sri Lanka

No more deviation from the principal – ‘India First.’

India must teach a lesson to China by taking advantage of discontent in many countries against China.

Colombo (Sri Lanka) – Sri Lanka was unable to repay the loan taken from China; as a result, they had to give ‘Hambanthota Port’ on 99-year lease. This contract was a huge mistake. The Foreign Secretary Jayanath Kolbange made this assertion in an interview with the news channel. Sri Lanka will not depart from the ‘India First’ policy, he affirmed.

Will have ‘India first’ policy, China port deal a mistake: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka wants to pursue a “neutral” foreign policy but will retain an “India First” approach in strategic and security matters, foreign secretary Jayanath Colombage has said.

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— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) August 26, 2020

He said, ‘Sri Lanka does not wish to give up the non-alignment policy. Along with it, we will not desert the ‘India First’ policy. In respect of the defence tactics and security, President Gotbaya Rajapaksa ordered to follow the ‘India First’ policy. We do not feel any threat from India. Rather, we wish to benefit the maximum from India.

How China trapped Sri Lanka ?

China included Sri Lanka in the projects of ‘Indo Pacific Expansion’ and ‘Belt and Road Initiative’. Sri Lanka took a loan from China. Sri Lanka was unable to repay the loan. Hence, it had to give ‘Hambanthota Port’ and 15 thousand acres of land on 99-year lease to China. Sri Lanka gave the port and land on lease to ‘Merchant Port Holdings’ company of China for 1.12 billion dollars in 2017. Now Sri Lanka wishes to cancel the lease and take the port back. This is an important port for maintaining an upper hand in the Indian Ocean.