(UTV|COLOMBO) – Chinese Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan on Thursday (24) said there is no truth in alleged Chinese militarization of the Hambantota Port. He dismissed speculations pointing out that the company running the Hambantota port now is in a joint venture between Sri Lanka and China.
He was answering a question at a symposium hosted by the Chinese Embassy titled, ‘From Millennium to the New Era: Jointly Build the Belt and Road and Embrace the Sri Lankan Dream,’ on Wednesday. The Chinese partner in this company consists of several companies; it is not Chinese investments exclusively. So, any decision-making is not by China alone, he said.
Answering a question on interest rates on loans to Sri Lanka, the Ambassador said the interest rates on Chinese concessionary loans to Sri Lanka are ‘very low’ compared with international market rates. Besides, he said, the loans are given on relatively long repayment structures and grace periods. Responding to another question, he said there are about 6,000 Chinese migrant workers in Sri Lanka. However, he said the Sri Lanka Immigration Department may have the correct figure, including executives and managers, whose jobs are necessary to run certain investment projects.
“These migrant workers are here in accordance with government rules and regulations,” the Ambassador said. He explained that certain projects cannot be done without Chinese personnel. In such instances, Chinese people were recruited with the government approval. The Ambassador further explained that Chinese projects in Sri Lanka have created a large number of job opportunities for Sri Lankans. For instance, the CICT (port project in Colombo) has recruited over 1,000 locals and many have received training in China as well, he said.
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