An opposition MP has said that Sri Lanka’s absence from the recently concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China could be a mistake, potentially harming the country’s image as a nation with a non-aligned foreign policy and denying it possible economic benefits.
“It has been reported that connectivity, trade facilitation, and technology transfer were key topics at this year’s summit. Sri Lanka may have missed opportunities to gain from these discussions,” Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mujibur Rahman told journalists.
He added that the country’s global image as a non-aligned nation could be affected. “Past governments in Sri Lanka maintained a non-aligned foreign policy, but the current government’s stance might be questioned internationally, raising concerns that Sri Lanka could be perceived as pro-Western,” the MP said.
Rahman also suggested that the government might have been influenced by pressure from the U.S. to skip the summit and argued that Sri Lanka should have followed Pakistan’s example and participated, despite the lower export tariff rates set by the U.S.
Additionally, he criticized President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s response to Indian actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay, who recently revived the Kachchatheevu Island issue. “We saw the President make a sudden trip to Kachchatheevu, declaring it would remain under Sri Lanka. Vijay is new to politics and is running for Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. It is unclear if he will succeed, so why should the President react strongly to his demand?” Rahman questioned.
The MP also noted that the Indian government has not pursued any claims over Kachchatheevu Island, despite past requests from Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu.
