Author: TELO Admin

Sri Lanka is strategically vital for the Indo-Pacific region amid rising co-operation among authoritative nations, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Admiral Samuel J. Paparo said.

“The Indo-Pacific isn’t just vital to our militaries, it’s the engine of global prosperity,” Paparo said in Colombo at a meeting with top military officers.

“These waters carry over half of the world’s trade and the security environment we shape today will determine the nations’ future generations.”

Sri Lanka’s key position at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean is strategically vital, he said.

“These shores border key sea lanes that connect the Pacific to the Indian Ocean and to all seas,” he said.

“This geography allows Sri Lanka to influence maritime activities crucial to the entire Pacific.”

Some nations were threatening regional stability and international norms, by the ‘assertive behavior’ directly affecting freedom of navigation vital to commerce, he said.

“We see increased military cooperation among authoritarian nations, creating strategic challenges that demand immediate attention,”

“This is why strengthening democratic partnerships is imperative.”

Sri Lanka had joined peacekeeping mission and joined the Operation Prosperity and was leading the Combined Task Force 154 activity, making the country an essential partner, he said.

“We back our commitments with action, with shared intelligence capabilities, with joint and combined exercises, with professional military education, with advanced technology partnerships,” he said.

“And we together deliver real security results. We all recognize that securing these vast waters requires collaborative effort from all regional partners committed to peace and stability.”

The US has transferred three Coast Guard cutters to Sri Lanka and another one was expected next January. A Beechcraft reconnaissance aircraft was also provided.

The US was also working on providing two C-130 aircraft and H-57 helicopters.

The acceptance of nominations for the Mannar, Poonakary, and Dehiattakandiya Pradeshiya Sabhas in the upcoming local government elections will commence on the 24th of March.

Nominations will be accepted until 12 noon on the 27th March.

Meanwhile, the deadline to deposit the bonds for these local government bodies has been set for 12 noon on the 26th March.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that the bills to abolish the pension for Members of Parliament (MPs) and to amend the Presidents Entitlements Act will be introduced soon.

He made these observations while delivering a statement in Parliament Friday evening (21), participating in the final day of the Third Reading debate on the 2025 Budget.

The President also stated that steps will be taken to reduce the existing insurance coverage for MPs from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 250,000.

Dissanayake also stated that he submitted a letter to the Parliament today stating that he does not want his MP’s pension.

Addressing the House, he further said;

“We came to know some things only now. When I become President, I will receive a pension provided to an MP. That means that in addition to the presidential salary, I will also receive the MP’s pension. I gave a letter today saying that I do not want the MP’s pension. We have to start fixing this country. I actually did not know that I would receive it that way, but I found out later that I would receive it that way. That is why I gave a letter to Parliament saying that I do not want the pension.”

“Also, when an MP becomes a minister, he will receive the MP’s salary and the ministerial salary. We have decided that ministers and deputy ministers will only receive the MP’s salary. However, ministers will receive a fuel allowance in addition to the MP’s salary. We will remove the fuel allowance from the MP’s salary. We will also remove the MP’s pension. The Presidents Entitlements Act will also be amended.”

A post on X by Russian-backed network RT on the unredacted files related to the assassination of President John F Kennedy in 1963—posted on the website of the US National Archives and Records Administration—claimed that the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) maintained a “secret base” in Colombo among other cities in the world.

CIA secret bases, also referred to as “black sites,” are clandestine facilities used by the agency for various intelligence operations, including detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists.

It is a known fact that the agency operated secret bases globally, including facilities in Ukraine that support intelligence efforts against Russia.

According to the X post, the CIA also held two secret bases in India, in New Delhi and Kolkata.

As per the list, the New York division of the CIA maintained secret bases in Kolkata, New Delhi, Rawalpindi in Pakistan, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Tehran in Iran, Seoul in South Korea, and Tokyo in Japan among other places.

The acceptance of nominations for the upcoming Local Government Elections has officially ended a short while ago.

Accordingly, the deadline for submitting objections to the nominations will end at 1:30 p.m. today.

The acceptance of nominations for 336 Local Government institutions commenced on March 17, and the election date is scheduled to be announced after the nomination period concludes.

The deadline for placing deposits for the LG Elections concluded yesterday (19)

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong on Friday said the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) had incurred a loss of over US$ 7 billion, due to restructuring of Sri Lanka’s debt. During a discussion with a group of Sri Lankan journalists on Friday evening Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said his country does not boast or shout about its assistance to Sri Lanka and as thus such details are not in the public domain.

While China EXIM Bank sat outside of the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), it was notably the first bilateral creditor to finalise the debt restructuring agreement in October 2023, the Ambassador observed.

“Although, some cast aspersions about China’s assistance towards Sri Lanka the Ambassador emphasised that his country has no-hidden agenda, but only Sri Lanka’s well-being in mind.

“However, the public does not know about these details. This is because we do not shout about our assistance to Sri Lanka unlike some others, because our intentions are sincere” he added.

When a journalist drew the attention of the Ambassador to some disparaging remarks made by a parliamentarian from the North against China in connection with illegal fishing in northern waters, the Ambassador said he was completely in the dark about the matter and the comments made by the MP were utterly baseless and false.

Responding to questions, the Chinese envoy said his country has no dispute with India and both countries have grown rapidly over the years and should work together to achieve shared goals.

“In fact, I hope China, India and Sri Lanka can work together one day to implement a viable project here” he added.

The Chinese envoy went on to say, China has maintained good relations with successive Governments of Sri Lanka and carried out a large number of projects, which have greatly improved Sri Lanka’s economic and social development.

“The cooperation between our two countries based on historical, friendly and diplomatic ties always adheres to extensive consultation, joint contribution, and sharing benefit’, which never attaches any conditions. The ultimate goal of our cooperation is to bring tangible benefits to the people of Sri Lanka,” he said.

The Chinese envoy further said the robust ties between China and Sri Lanka had reached a new high with the recent visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to his country.

He said both countries should work together to implement the 15 MoU’s signed during Sri Lanka President’s visit, looking for a win-win situation.

Talking about the recently concluded China’s annual Two Sessions, the concurrent meetings of China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), and its political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the Ambassador said it was highly successful and observations, suggestions and views of the general public was widely taken on board.

Commenting on the subsequent Chinese Government Work Report which outlined the country’s main goals, tasks, and policy measures for 2025 he said China targets economic growth of around 5% in 2025.

The report also outlines an array of other key development goals for this year, including a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5%, over 12 million new urban jobs, and an around 2% increase in the consumer price index and China aims for deficit-to-GDP ratio of around 4%.

China will also advance integrated and clustered development of strategic emerging industries, carry out demonstration initiatives on the large-scale application of new technologies, products, and scenarios, and promote safe and sound development of commercial space, the low-altitude economy, and other emerging industries.

The country will also establish a mechanism to increase funding for industries of the future and foster industries such as biomanufacturing, quantum technology, embodied AI, and 6G technology.

China will also accelerate the high-quality development of key industrial chains in the manufacturing sector and step up efforts to advance industrial foundation re-engineering and major technology and equipment research.

Under the AI Plus initiative, China will work to effectively combine digital technologies with the country’s manufacturing and market strengths. The country will support the extensive application of large-scale AI models and vigorously develop new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment, including intelligent connected new-energy vehicles, AI-enabled phones and computers, and intelligent robots.

China will also work toward stabilising foreign trade, vigorously encourage foreign investment, pursue solid progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and deepen multilateral, bilateral, and regional economic cooperation.

The Ambassador said these measures augurs well for China and the international investors and community including Sri Lanka.