Sri Lanka has suspended external debt payments since April last year due to a sharp depreciation of the currency and inflation. President Wickremesinghe said in an interview with NHK in Tokyo on March 4 that he would like to finish the debt restructuring talks by September or October.
He also revealed his intention to apply for membership in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), in which Japan, China, Australia, and other countries participate. He said, "We are proposing all creditor countries to join the talks," and appealed for China to formally participate.