FACT CHECK: China not issuing own passport in Sri Lanka's port city

HYDERABAD: A picture of a passport with the text 'Colombo Port City, Special Administrative Region, People's Republic Of China', is viral on social media.

Netizens claim that China is issuing its own passport in Sri Lanka's Colombo Port City.

This comes days after Sri Lankan Parliament passed the bill to give clear decks for China-backed Colombo Port City.

Debt trap of CCP China is well known to the world.

This is how Chinese loans work. They provide loans with a goal of taking over the area in short, mid or long term. Just like this pun intended passport for Colombo Port city, Srilanka. CCP is a real threat. #CCPDebtTrap pic.twitter.com/pEGiqbwDmg

— TEAM BHARAT (@TeamBharat_) May 25, 2021

Now a Chinese passport for Sri Lanka...https://t.co/TSeTc7NeAT pic.twitter.com/0nQJOGtb7v

— Simi Garewal (@Simi_Garewal) May 24, 2021

FACT CHECK:

The claim is false and the image of the passport is fake.

Through Google Lens, NewsMeter translated the text written on the viral image. "The people's Republic of China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region," reads the English translation.

We searched online and found a stock image website, VectorStock, which creates "Realistic 3d passport vector images". The website creates images based on a sample that can be manipulated digitally. Through this, it was clear that the viral image was fake.

Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka also tweeted dismissing the viral image as fake. Thus, it is clear that China is not issuing its passport in Sri Lanka's Colombo Port City.

An excellent example to warn us that how desperately these anti-China elements are trying to spread fake news on social media and western MSM. #Sinopharm can help to fight #coronavirus , while Sinophobia is only another virus.#FactCheck please pic.twitter.com/tfiyKZ7y9I

— Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) May 22, 2021