Sat Dec 21 17:06:32 UTC 2024: ## Sri Lankan President to Visit China Amidst India’s BRI Concerns
**Colombo, Sri Lanka –** Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced plans for an official visit to China in mid-January, following a recent trip to India. This announcement comes after meetings between Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya with a senior Chinese official, reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Dissanayake’s visit to India was his first overseas trip since taking office in September. His upcoming trip to China follows a meeting with Qin Boyong, Vice-Chairwoman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), where support for Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring was reiterated.
China’s BRI, a massive infrastructure project connecting China to Eurasia, has drawn criticism from India, the U.S., and other nations. Concerns center around the sustainability of loans provided to smaller nations and the lack of transparency in projects. India specifically opposes the BRI’s flagship project, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi insists that BRI projects should adhere to international norms, transparency, and financial responsibility. The 99-year lease of Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port to China, secured as a debt swap, is cited as a prime example of the concerns surrounding the initiative. India’s opposition stems from its concerns regarding China’s growing influence and potential violation of its sovereignty.
First Piper 