Don't 'Bully' Sri Lanka: China's Strong Message to US as Pompeo Arrives on 2-day Visit to Island Nation

Nervous over US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Sri Lanka, the Chinese Embassy on Monday warned the United States not to meddle with the affairs of China and the island nation.

After completing the 2+2 ministerial dialogue with India, Pompeo arrived in Colombo on Wednesday on a sensitive visit seeking to discuss the strategic island’s relationship with Beijing.

“We are firmly opposed to the United States taking the opportunity of the State Secretary’s visit to sow and interfere in China-Sri Lanka relations, and to coerce and bully Sri Lanka,” the embassy said in a statement on Monday night.

Some pro-China Communist organisations along with a few Buddhist clergies also held a protest in Colombo against the perceived American interference in the affairs of the island nation.

Amid the row, Sri Lanka Cabinet Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that as a sovereign, free, independent nation, Sri Lanka’s foreign policy would remain neutral. “Non-Aligned and Friendly. Conscious of the opportunities and responsibilities that come with our strategic location, we see the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in our seas and air space also protecting sea lines of communication and the undersea cables,” he said.

He said Sri Lanka believed that all countries should adhere to and respect international law, including UN Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “We share views on the potential multifaceted Maritime cooperation which Sri Lanka is keen to progress,” he added.

Talking about the US, Gunawardena said the nation had been a friend and had been assisting Sri Lanka in times of difficulty, for which it remained deeply grateful.

“US assistance to Sri Lanka after the Asian Tsunami in 2004 was significant. I recall the visits of former President George Bush (Senior) and former President Bill Clinton. The assistance in the aftermath also in the recent times of Easter-Sunday terrorists attacks in April 2019, and most recently for COVID-19 mitigation,” he said, adding that he extended “his sincere thanks and appreciation” for “proscribing the LTTE terrorist organisation even before the 9/11 attacks and upto now.”

China has invested several billion dollars in Sri Lanka in various infrastructure and strategic projects and is also a partner to President Xi Jinping’s ambitious Belt and Road project, an initiative both India and America view with suspicion.

Taking advantage of Sri Lanka’s failing relationship with the US, China entered the island nation and established its presence in the Indian Ocean to keep an eye on India and the US military base at Diego Garcia, south of Sri Lanka.

In the last 10 years, China has edged out traditional trade partners and investors, India and Japan, from occupying the prime position in Sri Lanka, triggering panic in the West.

The Hambantota Port in the South is run by the Chinese and the Colombo Port City and just a stone’s throw away from the President and the Prime Minister’s residences are two of the major projects taken up by China. Besides, China has also invested heavily in building roads, airports, and hospitality services in the country, either directly or indirectly.

During the previous government’s regime (2015-19), prior to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa taking charge of office in 2019, Sri Lanka’s relationship with China was strained allowing India to re-establish its ties with the country. However, the lack of resources forced Sri Lanka to go back to China once again.

The current regime of the Rajapaksa brothers, Gotabaya and Mahinda, has an excellent relationship with the Chinese Government. During the Covid-19 crisis, China loaned hundreds of millions of dollars to Sri Lanka to overcome its cash crunch pushing the country further into debt trap.

China is uncomfortable with the better relationship between India and US and India’s ancient ties with Sri Lanka.

During the Cold War, along with India, Sri Lanka was also with the Soviet Union. After JR Jayawardene-led UNP government came to power in 1977, Sri Lanka shifted its allegiance to the US, opening up the heavily controlled economy. Jayawardene was even hosted by the then US President Ronald Reagan at the White House in 1980s.

The Western attitude and human rights issues that occured during the 30-year Eelam War, for a separate Tamil homeland, had upset Sri Lanka and its relationship with the Western powers had strained, opening the doors wide open to China.

The US under the presidentship of Barack Obama did not show any serious interest in Sri Lanka, helping China to strengthen its presence in the nation.

Mike Pompeo’s two-day visit to Sri Lanka and later to Maldives has alarmed China as it has also heavily invested heavily in the other Indian Ocean nation.

Debt-ridden Sri Lanka is looking helpless in the struggle for supremacy by various powers opposed to China. However, the Sri Lankan government maintains that it is still in control and no outside power, be it India, China or the US, can dictate its policies. But, the situation on the ground speaks of a different scenario.

Beijing is keeping a close watch on the American activities in Sri Lanka and believes India has a hand in it. If Donald Trump is re-elected in the upcoming US Presidential Elections 2020, it may have far reaching consequences on relations between Sri Lanka and China, giving another chance to India.

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