US notes China took port after Sri Lanka could not pay

29 Nov, 2018

The United States has noted that China took over the Hambantota port after the Sri Lankan Government could not pay its debt.

Roland de Marcellus. Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Finance and Development, said that as the Sri Lankan Government could not pay its debt over the Hambantota Port, China converted the port to their own ownership for a 99 year lease, as well as 15,000 acres of land, the Press Trust of India reported.

He made the comment to the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Multilateral and International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic Energy and Environmental Policy.

US officials have said that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) often leaves countries with excessive debt and poor quality projects.

They cited example of countries like Sri Lanka and the Maldives. (Colombo Gazette)

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