Sajith Premadasa Calls for Strategic Reset Amid US Tariffs.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called the 44% US tariff on Sri Lankan goods a wake-up call, emphasizing that it is more than just a trade issue.
Taking to ‘X,’ Premadasa criticized the government, stating that those in power had previously blocked trade deals, distrusted globalization, and viewed foreign investment as an intrusion. He urged a shift in approach, saying that Sri Lanka needs a strategic reset to navigate the evolving global trade landscape.
Outlining his vision, Premadasa proposed:
- Embracing partnerships over paranoia.
- Ending hate-mongering that benefits local cartels.
- Developing an Asia-centric trade strategy with India, ASEAN, and Bangladesh.
- Moving from tariffs to production-led, investor-friendly growth.
He also stressed that Sri Lanka must stop silent defiance of regional interests, warning that protecting mutual interests is the only way forward.
“Posturing is not strategy. Mature nations negotiate. It’s time we did too,” he added.
His remarks follow the Trump-led US administration’s executive order imposing a 44% tariff on Sri Lankan goods, citing it as a reciprocal response to what they claim is an 88% tax and trade barrier imposed by Sri Lanka on US imports.
