Wed Sep 25 03:59:08 UTC 2024: ## Sri Lanka’s New President Vows to Balance Relations Between India and China, Prioritizes Economic Recovery
**Colombo, Sri Lanka** – Newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced a foreign policy focused on balancing relations between India and China, while also maintaining strong ties with the EU, Middle East, and Africa.
In an interview with The Monocle, Dissanayake emphasized his desire to avoid being “sandwiched” between the two Asian giants, stating that “Both countries are valued friends and, under an NPP government, we expect them to become close partners.”
Dissanayake, leader of the National People’s Power (NPP), secured victory in Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections, marking the first vote held since the country was rocked by mass protests and an economic crisis that led to the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022. Dissanayake garnered 5.74 million votes, beating his closest rival Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).
Beyond foreign policy, Dissanayake has pledged to prioritize addressing Sri Lanka’s dire economic situation. He criticized the previous government’s neoliberal economic model, stating that “Today, sadly, we are a bankrupt nation. We have an external debt of €34billion, poverty has increased and the price of essential goods has skyrocketed.”
Dissanayake’s government faces the daunting task of navigating Sri Lanka out of its economic crisis, while simultaneously balancing its relationships with major global powers. The success of his ambitious agenda will be closely watched by both regional and international observers.
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