International Relations of Sri Lanka

A parable, ‘like democracies hobble across to China’ will be a humiliating one. Open debates, right of dissenting opinions, individual liberties, rationale of individuals and universal rights are founding values of democracies. With those values those democracies are going back and forth about how to develop their survival mechanisms against Communist Party of China (CPC). Weather the issue of GDP’s percentage in defence spending or what is the best European substitute for Xi Jinping’s one belt and one road initiative are determined by going through those reasoning. Meanwhile the CPC has understood for decades that is the very thing it wants to avoid in its decision making. One particular and recent remarks by Nobushige Takamizawa , a senior Japanese bureaucrat, nudges us to the right direction of this article. He stresses out lack of highlight in public opinion regarding why Japan needs to increase its defence spending is as the main reason why Japan cannot increase its defence...

I argue Sri Lanka needs to officially recognise China as Sri Lanka’s Principle Strategic Partner in Indian Ocean. Since Sri Lanka’s relation with China is a very timely topic, I wanted to articulate on this novel idea. Copied from :  Carnegie Endowment for International Peace   Here in Sri Lanka Chinese investments and loans are seen as debt traps by some politicians. A part of the population too is fearing that.  Those who see China as an adversary in the West and beyond is also alleging China is exploiting developing nations like Sri Lanka. In that sense Hambantota Harbour and Colombo Port City project are perceived as pockets of Chinese influence and colonies.  Recent visit of Defence Minister of China, We Fenghe, has also puzzled the international community about Sri Lanka’s relationship with China.  Frist of all we have ask, ok, why not Sri Lanka form her principle strategic partnership with India in Indian Ocean. We are in Indian Ocean after all, right? A...

Y et 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...

W orldly attention receives from super powers makes Sri Lanka a big power in regional politics and beyond. Unlike in good old days, in modern information age has rendered traditional invaders are a dying bread – except may be regarding Taiwan, few pockets in Eastern Europe and in Africa. So, at the beginning of second quarter, into the twentieth century, we have no doubt that our fifty three times bigger neighbor will not set a foot in that direction regarding her southernmost neighbor due to this out of proportion attention her receives from super powers. With this sort of worldly attention, Sri Lanka needs to think worldly and big and act modestly, asserts Dr. Jayanath Colombage, a former Navy Commander and current Secretary to Foreign Ministry. I t has all being really a curst that Sri Lanka is a small island with small island mentality for all its known history. Legends of King Ravana and real events of King Parakramabahu, whom one went flying and other went sailing to neighboring ...

           S ince the President Gotabaya was elected he and his administration took ever greater measures to stimulate stagnating economy, cutting down taxes and increasing VAT threshold to encourage investments. He welcomed all developed nations to invest in Sri Lanka instead of finger pointing at the biggest investors. However, prevailing world reality of this unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic projects the development of our economy in a blur horizon at its worst, and as an uphill struggle at its best. Chart 1 - Ratio of world merchandise trade growth to world GDP growth, 1990‑2020 % change and ratio Source:    WTO Secretariat for trade and consensus estimates for historical GDP. Projections for GDP based on scenarios simulated with WTO Global Trade Model.                                   T he idea of being self-sufficient is up in the agen...

Photo credit : India Today I ndia is our greatest ally and it is our greatest strategic hurdle too.  We have to take decisions based on only our national interests to play with India and China as major investing parties in Sri Lanka. It is more important then ever to do so since our Mother Land is in historical conjuncture.  G eographical   position of India and Sri Lanka have entangled us to play politics with India very cautiously. The  relation of the se two land masses' goes far back. For example the archaeological extracts found in Jaffna indicates influence of  Indus Valley Civilisation  in Sri Lanka. That is  pre-historical. So,  Mr. Modi   is peaking to Sri Lankan Tamil community in Dickoya  few weeks ago shall also be understood as a continuation  of this inevitable   natural   entanglement  of g eopolitics . To me, weather  British  Empire poked in in this relationship or not we Sri ...