Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake this morning reacted to the comments made by the Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang to journalists at the Chinese embassy on Tuesday:
“I reject the statement,” the Finance Minister said, and – asserting his interests - “I am the Sri Lankan Finance Minister, not the Chinese Finance Minister.”
The Chinese Ambassador had yesterday said he was disappointed at negative comments from Sri Lanka, especially related to Chinese funded mega development projects.
He had also said that it was unfair for Sri Lanka to term loans given by China as ‘expensive’ - and asked why Finance Minister (Ravi Karunanayake) sought fresh loans from China, if the interest rates were too high.
“I know some media and some Ministers say it is expensive loans from Chinese government,” the Chinese Amabasador said, “We have regular, or fixed interest ratio for any developing country – 2%, not only for Sri Lanka.”
“If you have some comparison with the commercial loan, commercial loan at least 5%.”
“We have some conditions. At least this is friend country. Sri Lanka can get significant amount of loan from the EXIM Bank – it’s based on our relationship.”
“I talked with Ravi,” he said. “The Minister of Finance. If you don’t like this, you criticize this issue many times, publicly. Ask him, if you don’t like this one, why you come again, to talk with me about another one.
Responding this morning the Finance Minister rejected the Chinese Ambassadors statement and said, “If he says they have not given loans with interest more than 2% we are happy – because then we have only have to pay 2% then.”
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