Sri Lanka's former PM says UK wants to trade with, and stand up to, China at the same time
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'UK wants to stand up to Chinese, but also trade with Chinese,' he alleged
Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, took the opportunity of speaking at WION Global Summit 2021 in Dubai to highlight the functioning of Quad and India's role in it.
Reminiscing the Trump-era, Wickremesinghe said, "Trump wanted it to be an organisation to confront China - like mini NATO". However, he appreciated the efforts of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who " looked at it as a way of free and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
Quad is interestingly cooperating on non-military aspects like Covid vaccines, he noted.
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"President Trump wanted #Quad to be a kind of Asian NATO. PM Modi looked at it as a way of free and inclusive Indo-Pacific," says Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP), Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at #WIONGlobalSummit @palkisu pic.twitter.com/S5bgF04XIY
— WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021
He also talked about the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken millions of lives around the world since it started in Wuhan in December 2019.
He alerted people to be safe as he believed the pandemic has not yet reached a stage where people can relax from the strict restrictions and precautions as the medical solution has not been achieved.
"We have not yet reached a stage for a medical solution to the pandemic. We are still at the pandemic stage. What happened so far will only give us an indication of the future," Wickremesinghe said during the second session of the WION Global summit titled The Post-Pandemic World Order.
"We have not yet reached a stage for medical solution to the pandemic. We are still at the pandemic stage. What happened so far will only give us an indication of the future," says Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP), Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at #WIONGlobalSummit @palkisu pic.twitter.com/eRCFDQrSJ9
— WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021
"How we respond to the social and economic disruption caused by the pandemic will determine the outcome," he added.
Talking about the coronavirus and its origin, Wickremesinghe also said that while the rest of the countries are turning their back towards China, the UK is not giving a clear stance on its relationship with the Asian giant.
"UK wants to stand up to Chinese, but also trade with Chinese," he said.
Watch the live coverage of the event here:
#WIONGlobalSummit | #LIVE from Dubai
— WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021
Session 3 - World economy: The price of the pandemic
Session 4 - Digital revolution: The world goes online https://t.co/WDInaQHy3m