Sri Lanka said on Tuesday China would have no operational role in new oil
bunkering facilities being built as part of a $1.5 billion port due to open in
November on the island nation’s southern coast.
The Hambantota port is set to become Sri Lanka’s biggest and give the Indian Ocean country prime access to traffic on one of
the world’s biggest East-West shipping lines, located a few kilometres off its
southern coast.
China Exim Bank has loaned $77 million to
help finance the oil bunkering operations, while the Chinese government also
loaned another $400 million for the port, central bank data shows.
India,
an ally of Sri Lanka, has
expressed concern that China’s involvement in the port is aimed at making
Hambantota part of a “String of Pearls” strategy to widen China’s political
influence and boost its energy security.
“There is no role for China in its operation,” Priyath
Wickrama, the chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority, told Reuters.
“China has given us a loan, and one
of their construction companies is helping in the port construction, but the
oil bunkering and the port phase 1 operation will be carried out by Sri Lanka
Ports Authority,” Wickrama said.
Sri Lankaon Sunday said it would invite outside investors into the Hambantota port
project, the keystone of a $6 billion post-war infrastructure revitalisation
drive.
Hambantota will start with 100,0000 metric
tonnes of bunkering capacity, which could be expanded to 4 million metric
tonnes if demand picks up. The bunkering operation is the only part of the port
not open to external investment.
Reuters
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