Cabinet Spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath emphasized that Sri Lanka maintains balanced diplomatic relations with all countries, reaffirming that no nation receives special treatment. Speaking at the Cabinet press briefing this morning (October 8), Minister Herath stated, “We conduct business with China just as we do with India.”
He also addressed the government’s decision to allow a Chinese military training vessel to visit Sri Lanka later this month, noting that this action aligns with the country’s diplomatic engagements. “The ship is scheduled to arrive at the port of Colombo this month,” he said.
Minister Herath further elaborated on the government’s foreign relations policy: “We do not consider any country to be special. Whether it’s China, India, the United States, Russia, Cuba, or Vietnam, Sri Lanka maintains diplomatic relations with all countries—big or small. We have no bias in our approach.”
He cited recent developments, including a solar panel project in collaboration with China, as an example of the country’s cooperation with multiple partners. “We are working on a project to provide solar panels to religious places in Sri Lanka. We will grant permission for that in a few days,” he noted, adding that military ships from various nations have also docked in Sri Lankan ports as part of routine diplomatic exchanges. “American, Indian, and German warships have visited before. In such diplomatic relations, we engage with all countries equally,” he said.
