Sri Lanka passes the Colombo Port City Economic Commission BillThe Tamil Nadu police have been put on high alert after Sri Lanka passed the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill giving "complete control" of the Port City, coming up in the capital, to China, authorities said. On May 20, Sri Lanka passed a controversial legislation governing the China-funded $1.4 billion Colombo Port City, being constructed on reclaimed land by Colombo's sea front. In 2017, Sri Lanka leased a Port in Hambantota district, some 250 km south of Colombo, to China for 99 years. Stating that passing of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill was a major diplomatic and strategic concern for India as China’s footprint would increase in the neighbouring countries, the sources said the move evoked instant protests from not only Opposition parties in Sri Lanka but other organisations like the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam. Acting on intelligence inputs, Director-General of Police J.K. Tripathy instructed senior police officers across Tamil Nadu to intensify vigil to thwart any attempt to stage protests in front of Sri Lankan or Chinese establishments in the State.

Source: The Hindu May 30, 2021 18:09 UTC