Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe Rules Out China Using  Hambantota Ports  For Military Purposes

In an analysis report on construction projects filed in New York Times recently, it was quoted that China has helped finance at least 35 ports around the world in the past decade and Hambantota port is one of them. The report further stated that the transfer gave China control of territory just a few hundred miles off the shores of a rival, India and a strategic foothold along a critical commercial and military waterway.

 In response to the allegations, Minister Samarasinghe said the Hambantota port has nothing to do, other than commercial transactions and it has been clearly mentioned in the agreement.

 “China Merchant Port (CMP) over all has a lease of 69.9 percent and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority has 30.1 percent. So we are also an equity holder. Two Sri Lankan companies registered under the Companies Act will run the operations. And the Chinese will only be handling the commercial operations,” the Minister said.

Minister Samarasinghe further explained that CMP will be taking care of bunkering services, facilitating export and import activities, trans shipment of vehicles while industries will be set up inside the port and they will be facilitating them as well and many more.

“But, every operation that CMP is involved will be confined to port and marine related activities,” he said.

The Minister said that even the Sri Lankan Navy would continue to remain there.

“There is an area that the Navy has been operating near the port and they will carry out their respective mandates. Further, all security related decisions will be taken by the Sri Lankan government,” he said. Minister Samarasinghe said for a naval ship to arrive at the port, it has to come through the government and it would be the same even it’s a Chinese naval ship.

“Whichever government wants to send a naval ship will have to get permission from the government of Sri Lanka and the Chinese will not come into any of that,” he said.