Lanka to summon Chinese envoy over media remarks

Sri Lanka plans to summon Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang for criticising the government over its "inconsistent" policies on China's involvement in the country, according to a media report today.
Foreign Ministry sources said the envoy would be reminded of proper procedure if he had any issues with the government - make the case through the ministry and not the media.
Yi was critical of the current government's "inconsistent" policies and said that Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake had unfairly criticised China for high interest loans.
He had said that the China had lent money to Sri Lanka as they do to other countries at 2 per cent interest rate.

Karunanayake responded by saying Sri Lanka would be happy to pay back at 2 per cent if the Chinese Ambassador agrees.
The Chinese Ambassador had said that his government enjoyed good relations with the former regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa and enjoys same with the current government of his successor Maithripala Sirisena.

He had said that Sri Lanka should not politicise economic cooperation with China, in an apparent reference to the current government's suspension of the Colombo Port City project which was a pet initiative of former president Rajapaksa.
The envoy had said the Chinese company had suffered a loss of approximately USD 140 million from the time the project was suspended by the new government and the time it was resumed.

He had called for policy consistency from Sri Lanka as China was working with Sri Lanka to strengthen its economy and to develop the country.