Mr Wickremesinghe said that “Geopolitics of the Indian Ocean has unfortunately made Sri Lanka the punching bag for Hambantota.
Mr Wickremesinghe said that “Geopolitics of the Indian Ocean has unfortunately made Sri Lanka the punching bag for Hambantota.
Sri Lanka will not participate in any “major power rivalry” in the Indian Ocean and it is unfortunate that their country has been made “Punching Bag” for HambantotaPresident Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, after weeks of conflict between India and China Docking of a high-tech Chinese ship at the southern port of the country.
Sri Lanka certainly does not want the problem of the Pacific Ocean to flow into the Indian Ocean, he said while speaking on the situation in the crisis-hit country at the geopolitical forum.
“We do not participate in a military alliance, and we certainly do not want the problems of the Pacific to flow into the Indian Ocean. We do not want this to be a zone of conflict and a zone of war. Sri Lanka will not graduate from the National Defense College. Addressing the ceremony on Wednesday, Wickremesinghe said, “Participate in any major power rivalry.”
His remarks come weeks after the Chinese embassy and the Indian High Commission here The Chinese clashed verbally over the docking of the ship ‘Yuan Vang 5’ at Sri Lanka’s southern Hambantota port for replenishment.
Mr Wickremesinghe said that “the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean has unfortunately made Sri Lanka the punching bag for Hambantota.” Wickremesinghe, in his second public remarks on the issue in recent weeks, said, “It is not a military port. Although we have a commercial port, it shows our strategic importance that many people jump to conclusions that are unfair. Huh.”
On 30 August, President Wickremesinghe appealed to all political parties to join an all-party government to tackle the island nation’s worst economic crisis and stop using “strong economies” as “tools of intervention”. Without naming any country, Wickremesinghe said, “We can no longer be a debt-dependent nation. We can no longer be used as an instrument of intervention by other countries with strong economies.”
In his address on Wednesday, Mr. Wickremesinghe also said that Sri Lanka will stay away from any major power rivalryStating that the country should ensure that the rivalry does not lead to conflict in the Indian Ocean.
“It’s something we can’t stand,” news firstAn online portal, quoted Mr. Wickremesinghe as saying.
Sri Lanka granted access to the port to Chinese ships from 16 to 22 August.
There were apprehensions in New Delhi that tracking systems of Chinese ships were trying to spy on Indian defense installations en route to the Sri Lankan port.
India last month hit back at China for accusing it of “interfering” in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs, strongly telling Beijing that Colombo was no longer “supported” to serve another country’s agenda. No unwanted pressure or unnecessary controversy”.
In his address, Mr. Wickremesinghe also said that “if we lose a good security system, our future will be destroyed and the world situation and geo-politics will be very bad.” Stating that this is not good for the country, the President also said that as a country, 2030 is focused on security.
He explained that Sri Lanka can be used by terrorist groups to launch attacks against a third party and preventing such terrorist attacks will be a major challenge that Sri Lanka will face in future.
He also emphasized that a plan should be made to open the Indian Ocean region to the world, ensure its security and build a powerful Asia.
The President also pointed out that efforts should be made to make Sri Lanka a center of maritime commerce by affirming freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean region.