The Chinese Embassy in Colombo has advised Chinese nationals visiting Sri Lanka to abide by the nation’s laws and regulations.
Taking to Twitter, the Chinese Embassy said; “All Chinese citizens who come to Sri Lanka for business, work, study and tourism should strictly abide by Sri Lankan laws and regulations, and respect local religious and cultural customs.”
The warning comes after a Chinese national was recently reported to have attempted to enter Sri Lanka using a forged passport.
Commenting on the matter, the Chinese Embassy said that the case was under investigation.
A Chinese national was detained after attempting to enter Sri Lanka with a forged passport last week (17). The man had arrived in Sri Lanka along with a fellow Chinese national and an Egyptian.
Upon being detected with a forged passport, the Chinese national is said to have behaved in an unruly manner resulting in Immigration and Emigration officials at the Katunayake Airport detaining him.
However, the group was released, on the directives of the State Minister of Urban Development and Housing Arundika Fernando, who had claimed that the Chinese national in question was a foreign investor.
The State Minister is reported to have made a written request from the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration to allow the Chinese passenger to enter the country, stating that he had visited Sri Lanka to invest in housing projects which are under the purview of his ministry.
Addressing the matter, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles told the media recently that the government is to initiate action against the Chinese national and that further action will be taken with the consultation of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo.
Following necessary investigations, Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles yesterday ordered officials of the Department of Immigration and Emigration to deport the Chinese National. (NewsWire)
