(Bloomberg, Colombo) Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa said that China seems to be turning its strategic focus to Southeast Asia and Africa, and South Asian countries that have fallen into financial dilemmas, including Sri Lanka, no longer obtain the same attention in Beijing.
Rajapaksa interviewed at the official residence of Colombo on Monday that Sri Lanka could not use US $ 1.5 billion (about S $ 2.07 billion) from Beijing's credit quota.echo.
Rajapaksa said China said it would help Sri Lanka, but China "generally unwilling" borrowed more money to allow the other party to repay earlier loans."My analysis is that China has shifted its strategic focus to Southeast Asia ... They think that in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia, there are more strategic benefits."
He added: "Their interest in (we) has weakened ... even pay less attention to Pakistan ... their attention has been transferred to two other regions."
In the past 10 years, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are the two major gold aids in China, and have obtained billions of dollars to build infrastructure such as ports, electric power stations.However, in recent months, Beijing has suspended loans to Pakistan, and has not made a clear response to Sri Lanka's request for borrowing money.
Sri Lanka is currently facing the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948.The crown disease epidemic crew tourism industry and the exhaustion of foreign exchange have led the government to suspend people's livelihood supplies such as imported fuels, gas and drugs, causing lack of supplies, and the inflation rate has soared to 40%.Sri Lanka was carrying US $ 51 billion in foreign debt. In April, it was announced that foreign debt was temporarily repaid before completing the debt restructuring.Sri Lanka is currently seeking $ 4 billion aid from the International Monetary Fund and India, China and other countries.
Economic collapse and large -scale power outage have caused the people to grievance. The people took the streets of Colombo to demonstrate.Since mid -March, thousands of demonstrators have faced the protest outside the coast office office of Rajapaksa, forcing him to retreat to the official residence with a barrier and have barrier to the office.
With the evolution of the anti -government demonstration into a bloody conflict, on May 9, forced by the pressure of all parties, Lajapaksa's brother, the prime minister, Madama Rajapaka and the cabinet announced by the 10 -year president, announcedResign.However, his resignation did not bring calmness to the country, and violent activities continued.
Rajapaksa said in the interview that despite the resignation of his step down, he would complete the remaining two -year presidential term.He said: "I can't leave as a failed president. My term is five years. I will not seek re -election."
