China today urged the Sri Lankan Government to take measures to ensure the security of its nationals in view of the communal clashes between the Buddhists and Muslims that led to the imposition of an emergency.
Sri Lanka yesterday declared a state of emergency for 10 days to rein in the spread of communal violence between majority Sinhala Buddhists and minority Muslims in the country's scenic Kandy district that left two persons dead and damaged several mosques and homes.
Violence, triggered by the death of a Sinhalese man at the hands of a mob last week, erupted yesterday in the Theldeniya area of the central hill district popular with tourists.
Asked about the emergency imposed in Sri Lanka to clampdown on the communal clashes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing that China hopes the Sri Lankan government would take measures to protect the safety and security of Chinese nationals.
China invested billions of dollars in Sri Lanka, including in the development of ports in Hambantota and Colombo. Sri Lanka has also emerged as a popular destination for Chinese tourists.
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