India, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of the transshipment business in the Colombo port has raised concerns over increasing Chinese presence specially after the visits of two Chinese submarines to Colombo port in 2014.
The West including the United States has raised concerns over Chinese using the ports for military purpose. China has rejected such claims and said it’s deals with Sri Lanka are purely commercial.
“I think the Chinese issue has come up because of the privatization of Hambantota port.That is because the port was sold on the premise that we are unable to pay debts,” Jayasundera said.