China asks international community not to complicate Sri Lanka's issues

The Chinese government has asked the international community to support Sri Lanka's efforts to stabilize the country and avoid taking measures to complicate Sri Lanka's situation further.

In a statement China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei has said today that China believes the Sri Lankan government and people will properly handle problems concerning its civil war and urged the international community not to complicate the issue.

The spokesman has made these remarks when asked to comment on the United Nations Expert Panel report on the accountability of Sri Lanka during the last stages of war, China's official news agency, Xinhua reported.

The spokesman has said the Chinese government has already noticed the publication of the report and Sri Lanka on its own is capable of addressing the issues raised by the panel.

"The Chinese side is confident that the Sri Lankan government and people are able to properly address all relevant issues," Hong has said.

He has noted that Sri Lanka has already set up its own institutes to investigate relevant issues and said China hopes the international community could provide support for Sri Lankan government's efforts.

"We hope that the international community could help develop a favorable external environment for the Sri Lankan government to stabilize the country's internal situation and accelerate economic growth, and avoid taking measures that could further complicate the issue," Xinhua quoted the spokesman.

China has been a strong supporter of Sri Lanka, providing crucial diplomatic support in the UN Security Council and blocking Western countries' efforts to prosecute Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes, said to have taken place during the last phase of the war against the brutal Tamil Tiger terrorists.

In addition, China has provided financial aid to rebuild Sri Lanka emerging from a three-decade long armed conflict.

China has boostted financial assistance in Sri Lanka's infrastructure development when other countries have reduced economic aid citing Sri Lanka's human right violations.

The Hambantota port development project, the second international airport, the Norochcholai coal power plant, highway development are among many other projects, supported by the Chinese government.