China has contradicted comments made by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on the Hambantota Port.
The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka tweeted yesterday saying the port is 100 percent owned by Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has raised strong criticism over the decision taken by the former Government to hand over the Hambantota Port to China on a 99-year lease.
Speaking at an election rally in Mahiyangana over the weekend, the Prime Minister accused the former Government of selling off property owned by Sri Lanka to a foreign country.
He also questioned the silence of some then Ministers when the Hambantota agreement was signed.
“They could have objected to the agreement at the time,” he said.
However, the Chinese Embassy tweeted saying consecutive Governments in Sri Lanka invited Chinese companies to build and jointly operate the Hambantota Port.
The Embassy said that that the deal ensures 100 Sri Lanka ownership, defence and sovereignty.
Following the signing of an agreement in December 2017 the Hambantota port operations were handed over to Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) and Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS).
Courtesy: Colombo Gazette
