Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena welcomes US$295 million ‘gift’ from Beijing despite controversy about reported election funding
Sirisena at the start of his term suspended most of the Chinese-backed infrastructure projects started under his predecessor but has since allowed them to resume
Chinese President Xi Jinping has offered Sri Lanka a fresh grant of 2 billion yuan (US$295 million), as Beijing tries to expand its influence in the tiny island country off India’s southern tip.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, whose country is a partner in Beijing’s multi-country Belt and Road infrastructure push, made the announcement on Saturday at a ceremony to mark the start of construction of a Chinese-funded kidney hospital in his home constituency of Polonnaruwa, 230km from capital Colombo.
“When the Chinese ambassador visited my house to fix the date for this ceremony, he said that Chinese President Xi Jinping sent me another gift,” Sirisena told the gathering.
“He has gifted 2 billion yuan to be utilised for any project of my wish. I’m going to hand over a proposal to the Chinese ambassador to build houses in all the electorates in the country.”
The grant offer came as a Chinese firm faces heavy criticism for allegedly financing the last election campaign of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
