Sri Lanka should be an unwavering strategic partner for China in Indian Ocean

Yet another crucial juncture of China and Sri Lanka, Chinese Defense Minister, Wei Fenghe, is visiting Colombo on 27th April for two day official visit. Defense Minister Wei Fenghe’s visit should pave a way for new and unwavering strategic partnership between China and Sri Lanka  in Indian Ocean.

South China Sea policy of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is steering up most of her traditional neighbouring partners and friends. Trade war between the USA and China and a bitter trade dispute with Australia have added more tension to regional politics. Furthermore, the CCP’s edging to cease power in Taiwan at any moment has also strengthen phase of bringing USA, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and India together. From Japan in East to all the way to Malacca Strait in West the CCP is facing fierce resistance and nerving times.

It is in this backdrop that Sri Lanka should be a fresh air for Wei Fenghe, Chinese seafarers, investors and for the CCP in India Ocean.

Recent betrayal of Sri Lanka by western powers and India has trigged Colombo to rethink its membership in non-alignment movement. In this time, at OHCHR, besides traditional reasoning, deepening Sri Lanka's partnership with China was also critical to marginalise Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s immediate and historical friend, India, betrayed Colombo badly at OHCHR. India’s cheap tactics of playing politics in Sri Lanka has backfired with deep contempt within the majority of Sri Lankan population. While Modi’s Hindu Government is facing fierce criticism from international community for his treatment towards Muslim communities in India, Modi waves emancipation card for Tamil minorities in Sri Lanka - Modi’s government needs to please Tamil Nadu politicians back home. Mind you that Sri Lanka is 50 times smaller than India and it only takes 4 hours of driving to travel anywhere within the island if the roads are up to it - imagine have few borders to across in-between 4 hours of driving.


Recurring UK governments are also so eager, among other western powers, to civilize Sri Lankans furthermore with liberal ideas like human rights, postwar justice and democracy. Unlike Shashi Tharoor, a fabulous Indian politician, Sri Lankan politicians are still shying away from its colonial master of seeking reparations for colonial crimes and repatriating looted treasure from UK. Yet alone no member in international community questions the moral superiority of UK, or of US and other western powers in that matter, in last decade alone, whom actions have resulted perishing about a million of civilians and brought further miseries to few millions across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Middle East, North Africa and Africa. Even within their own borders their track records are worsening day by day. However none of those factors have stopped them meddling in Sri Lankan politics via UN bodies. Furthermore, somewhat already cozy relationship between Sri Lanka and China was also received as a threat to western South China Sea policy.

In this background that Sri Lanka needs a solid strategic partner for coming decades. Sri Lanka can shelter China in Indian Ocean and China can shelter Sri Lanka in Security Council. These historical difficulties China and Sri Lanka are facing should be seen as opportunities to bring them together with mutual respect and open arm.

To that end, I sense, China needs to be further proactive. China needs to prove that Hambantota Port is not a debt trap as the international community keeps alleging it is. Since recently, Colombo Port City Project is also portrayed as Chinese colony and a yet another debt trap in Sri Lanka.  Yes, the CCP has already rescued Sri Lankan economy by defaulting swapping billions of dollars and loaning to Sri Lankan economy. But with all due respect to CCP, if the CCP is seeing a bit far beyond the short term gains and mere geopolitical significance of Sri Lanka in Indian Ocean and embraces Sri Lanka as a true friend with helping hands to uplift its economy to the next level - even if it may be illogical in financial sense to China - China will be winning enough Sri Lankans in long-term to feel Sri Lanka is a fresh air in Indian Ocean. It is no bought that it is only the Chinese economy can stimulate the Hambantota harbour and initial investments in Port City Project. If the CCP shows lack of interests in short and long-term gains assisting the Sri Lankan economy, criticism of Chinese expansionism will also cease away for some extent.

Let’s be true friends and strategic partners for the future!

Author - A.V. Anuradha Samapth
MA in International Security and Law from Denmark & BA Hon in International Politics from UK
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/amarasinghevidanage

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