Dismissing allegations of poor human rights situation in Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said a stable and powerful government is essential for the country’s development and the western countries criticised him without “clear understanding”.
“The development of a country requires a stable government. A stable government is a powerful support to a country. A powerful government with full support by the people is the most important factor for us to push forward,” he said in an interview to China’s state television CCTV.
“It’s easy for the western countries to talk, to criticise. I’m sorry to say that the western countries criticise us without having a clear understanding,” he said about persistent criticism about the human rights record in the country even after the end of the 26-year-long ethnic conflict in 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE.
Defending deepening ties between China and Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa said the friendship between the two countries goes back a long way.
“Bilateral relations have extended to educational, social, cultural and all kinds of aspects. Thus, a high level of strategic cooperative partnership has been formed,” he said.
“What I want especially to say is about Sri Lanka’s infrastructure construction. For the port construction, we want a free port. As for the tourism, we need a lot of Chinese investment. And we are satisfied with the investment from China so far,” he said.
In May 2013, China and Sri Lanka signed agreements on a 3-stage economic cooperation plan. Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Wu Jianghao says this will boost economic and trade cooperation.
Wu Jianghao, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, said, “In the first stage, we should support Sri Lanka’s infrastructure construction. In the second stage, we can support the pillar industries in the national economy. In the third stage, we can help Sri Lanka advance towards the world. For now, we are still at the first stage.”
- Agencies
