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Concerns over Chinese investments raised in Sri Lanka Parliament
05 Dec, 2020
By Indika Sri Aravinda
Concerns were raised in Parliament today over Chinese investments in Sri Lanka.
illangai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam said that Sri Lankans must be concerned over Chinese investments.
“China is investing very heavily in ports. Do we want to be another Pakistan? Do we want to be another Laos? We are getting into a debt trap. Tell the Sinhalese people this,” Rasamanickam said during the budget speech in Parliament today.
The Tamil MP said that the issue in Sri Lanka is not about Tamils or Muslims but Chinese and the Sinhalese community must understand this.
He said that while China is involved in a number of projects in Sri Lanka, the Chinese have not created enough employment opportunities for Sri Lankans.
“Chinese investments come. But Chinese come and work. They invest and they will take their money and leave,” he said.
The MP also claimed that the Port City is being constructed, not for the love of Sri Lanka, but to have a Chinese base in the region.
“We don’t want to be a Chinese colony. Worry about the Chinese, don’t worry about us,” he asserted.
Government Parliamentarians continued to disrupt the speech by the MP resulting in a heated exchange of words, (Colombo Gazette)
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