The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka today slammed the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, calling her a hypocrite for the comments she had made in a recent interview.
The embassy was angered over her view that China was the “spoiler” in Sri Lanka’s efforts to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
China asked why the US did not take decisive action in the IMF for a more comfortable solution for Sri Lanka or extend a grant to the country instead of sowing discord between Sri Lanka and China.
Chung had told the BBC recently that the greater onus to move was on China, as the biggest bilateral lender.
“We hope that they do not delay because Sri Lanka does not have time to delay. They need these assurances immediately,” Ambassador Chung had told BBC Newsnight.
“For the sake of the Sri Lankan people, we certainly hope China is not a spoiler as they proceed to attain this IMF agreement.”
The Chinese Embassy said that both the Chinese and Sri Lankan people are wise enough to judge without any foreign lecturing who is the spoiler.
The Embassy also questioned the political pre-conditions for US aid while being assured of China’s “no strings attached” commitment.