The Sri Lankan government has rejected a report by the Sunday Times that China had refused to convert debts into equity, accusing the paper of trying to disrupt the country's economic development.
Colombo Page quoted the Government Information Department as saying, "a Sunday Times report that said China has declined Sri Lanka's request to convert into equity Beijing-funded projects including the Mattala Airport and the Hambantota Port was not true."
"In accordance with the discussions held on 8th April this year, the Chinese Government will promote Chinese firms interested in entering to private-public partnership with Sri Lanka Government with regard to the specific project," the government statement reportedly added.
"A part of the English print media has distorted the facts with regard to these transactions in order to disrupt the economic development of Sri Lanka."
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