Sri Lanka should embark on an anti-corruption campaign, similar to China, to ensures that elected representatives and government figures are accountable to the people for every cent, borrowed and spent, the UNP leader said today.

Welcoming the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Colombo this week, Ranil Wickramasinghe pointed out that, under him, China has undertaken an effective anti-graft drive, aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in Government across the system.

“Under the system, local government officials are no longer permitted to use luxury hotels and thousands of officials have been punished for disciplinary violations, including the hosting of lavish banquets, spending public funds on travel, the improper use of government vehicles and constructing luxurious government buildings.”

“His Excellency Jinping will observe that Sri Lanka is engaged in its own battle against raging corruption and nepotism that has become a grave strain on the country’s economy,” the Opposition Leader said in a statement issued today.

He stated that the United National Party (UNP), as the main opposition of Sri Lanka, is adamant that the country should embark on an anti-corruption campaign of its own, that ensures that elected representatives and government figures are accountable to the people of Sri Lanka for every cent, borrowed and spent.

“The UNP hopes this campaign will reach across the spectrum of economic activity, including in the sphere of development assistance, grants and other types of commercial and humanitarian funding,” he said.

Wickramasinghe further said that it is an honour to have the President of China in Sri Lanka on this important visit and expressed hope that Sri Lanka-China relations can continue to prosper and stand strong through the years, based on mutual respect and amity.