China’s media on Tuesday hit out at what it described as India’s ‘meddling’ into Chinese projects in Sri Lanka, stating that Beijing would press on with its initiatives in the island country regardless of India’s concerns.
HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED ::
1. Two articles in the party-run Global Times, a tabloid known for its nationalistic views, stressed that China would go ahead with its increasing economic investments in Sri Lanka, which have drawn attention in India.
2. This past week, the Global Times noted, the Sri Lankan Ambassador in China, Karunasena Kodituwakku, said China’s port project in Hambantota was purely for civilian use.
3. On Tuesday, the Global Times quoted Chinese experts as saying – such an assurance was “unnecessary since the port has always been meant for civilian use and India is too sensitive over China’s presence in the Indian Ocean”.
4. “Sri Lanka’s promise is unnecessary because the port is meant for civilian use, and shows that India is interfering in Sri Lanka’s affairs,” Chu Yin, an associate professor at the University of International Relations, was quoted as saying, adding that “since India remains preoccupied with China’s presence in the region, Sri Lanka has to repeatedly pacify its neighbour even when this is aimed at promoting Sri Lanka’s economic development.”
5. “China has no intention to offend India,” Chu added, “and the programme is good for Sri Lanka’s economic development. But if India has a problem with the program and oppresses its neighbour, it only shows that it is interfering in other countries’ domestic affairs.”
6. Another commentary in the Global Times said “it would not necessarily be a bad thing if healthy competition between China and India in the Sri Lankan market could be further stirred up”.
7. China and Sri Lanka were “ramping up” efforts to sign a Free Trade Agreement, wrote Global Times columnist Hu Weijia.
8. “China has no intention of turning the Belt and Road initiative into a zero-sum game, but India may still worry about the tentacles China stretches into the Indian Ocean. Despite a repeated pledge that Chinese investment in the Sri Lankan Hambantota port is normal business, India has remained alert. Further, Sri Lanka offered reassurances over the weekend that Chinese military activity would not be allowed at the port. Such words can be seen as diplomatic rhetoric to comfort India as Beijing and Colombo already have an understanding that the project is purely commercial,” Hu wrote.
9. Sri Lanka recently saw mass protests over the Chinese port plan in Hambantota that led to clashes, with local concerns over evictions to pave the way for the project. The Global Times did not mention the concerns in Sri Lanka, but said “India’s concern is a reminder that massive investment is fueling distrust of China’s increasing presence in the region”.
Source:- India Today
The post Chinese media slams India’s ‘meddling’ in Sri Lanka appeared first on Indian Defence Update.
from Indian Defence Update http://ift.tt/2loN5rt
via IFTTT
No comments: