Chinese diplomatic visit to the North: China changing course in Sri Lanka?

26 Dec 2021

Chinese diplomatic visit to the North: China changing course in Sri Lanka?

26 Dec 2021

By Asiri Fernando The recent visit to the Northern Province by China’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka and several diplomats on a three-day official visit signalled a notable change in Sino-Lanka relations. This comes hot on the heels of the controversy over an organic fertiliser shipment from China, which is now to be resolved through arbitration and an unsuccessful bid to secure several hybrid renewable energy projects in the islands off the northern coast. The visit also comes as both countries prepare to celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations. The three hybrid renewable energy projects that China was hoping to secure, having followed the tender process, were abruptly suspended following alleged security concerns raised by neighbouring India and local political parties. India in turn has expressed interest in investing in them. On a recent visit to Mannar, a delegation from the Indian Conglomerate Adani is reported to have expressed interest in renewable energy projects in Mannar and in the North, including wind power projects. Earlier this month, Power Minister Gamini Lokuge told The Sunday Morning that Indian companies and others were interested in renewable energy projects that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had called expression of interest (EOI) for. However, according to Lokuge, the investment opportunity by the Adani Conglomerate was being discussed with senior figures of the Government, and had at the time not been communicated to him. Earlier this month, the Chinese mission in Colombo announced that the company which had successfully bid for the three hybrid renewable energy projects and was suspended, had secured solar power projects on 12 islands in the Maldivian archipelago. “Chinese Sino Soar Hybrid Technology, being suspended to build a hybrid energy system in three northern islands of Sri Lanka due to ‘security concern’ from a third party, has inked a contract with the Maldivian Government on 29 November to establish solar power plants at 12 islands in the Maldives,” the official twitter account of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Colombo tweeted on 1 December. The landmark visit by the Chinese envoy also comes as Sri Lanka desperately seeks financial assistance from both India, China, and others to mitigate the impact of a downward economic trend, foreign currency crisis-induced issues which has seen imports restricted, and aggravated the energy and food security of the island nation. The visit also comes in the backdrop of India stepping up efforts of improving the regional maritime security architecture to better integrate and capacity build for partner nations, particularly the small island nations of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). In the last decade, New Delhi has expressed concern and changed security doctrine to counter increased activity by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in the IOR, a region India feels is their traditional sphere of influence. The visit to the Northern Province, which included a visit to the Adams Bridge in Mannar, saw Ambassador Qi Zhenhong meet with a range of officials, including the Governor of the Northern Province Jeevan Thiagarajah, Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda, Mayor of Jaffna Viswalingam Manivannan, members of the armed forces, fishermen, and Chinese entrepreneurs engaged in the sea food industry. According to the Chinese Mission in Colombo, the visit was one planned previously, but had been postponed due to the Covid-19 regulations. In a press release, the Chinese mission stated: “A wide range of topics have been discussed on how to enhance co-operation between China and the Northern Province and improve local Tamil community livelihoods,” referring to the meeting between Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Governor Thiagarajah. During the visit, the Ambassador had requested the Ministry of Fisheries to permit the expansion of Chinese-led sea cucumber farming, fish canning, and other sea food industries, which will see foreign direct investment (FDI) according to the Chinese Mission in Colombo. The delegation also visited the historic Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil and the Jaffna library. North sceptical about Chinese visit However, Tamil politicians in the North had voiced their concern about the Chinese attempts to engage with the Northern Province. Responding to a query by The Sunday Morning, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rasamanickam stated that the people of the North and East did not want China to have a footprint in the provinces. “We will oppose them. We don’t want them here. All these years, they (the Chinese) didn’t see us, nor did they think of the interest of the Tamil people. They have discriminated against us, even in official name boards, even at the Colombo Port City. So, why the sudden interest in us now?” Rasamanickam questioned. The opposition MP stressed that China’s approach towards human rights and democracy make the partners unsuitable in his opinion. He pointed out that the sudden “visit North” by the Chinese envoy also comes following a high-profile visit by Tamil politicians to the US, Canada, and the UK. Echoing the Opposition MP’s thoughts, Jaffna Chamber of Commerce President R. Jeyasekaran also questioned the motives of the Chinese visit. “We are suspicious about their motives. The comments made by the Chinese Ambassador at Point Pedro and while at Adams’ Bridge might be aimed at intimidating India. We don’t want big country rivalries to impact us. Also, it’s been 12 years since the war ended. Many countries, including India, came to help us rebuild. Where was China all this time?” Jeyasekaran asked. However, when asked, Northern Province Governor Thiagarajah told The Sunday Morning that the visit by the Chinese delegation was similar to any other diplomatic visit, adding that Sri Lanka is seeking to improve access to markets, trade, and investments with a number of countries and regional groupings. “That’s the only conversation we are having and will have,” Thiagarajah said. Par for the course? Responding to a query on whether the visit to the North by the Chinese envoy signalled an increase in China-India tensions in Sri Lanka, Diplomatic Historian and Strategist George Cooke told The Sunday Morning that the visit was part of the Ambassador’s duties, one which many envoys do. “Not at all,” he said on whether tensions would increase, adding: “When an ambassador is sent to our country, that person is the representative of their country to the entirety of our country, and they have the ability to freely move around Sri Lanka. Many heads of mission visit different parts of our country. It is a part of fulfilling their duties. The Chinese Ambassador visiting a place of religious worship is him showing respect to the religious diversity within Sri Lanka and needs to be understood in that context.” Cooke pointed out that China already had many investment projects ongoing and that given Sri Lanka’s current status, attracting investment within a framework that enables Sri Lanka to grow should be a matter of priority. “China has plenty of investments in Sri Lanka already. Not progressing with the mentioned project is hardly a blip in their overall investment framework.” “However, at this juncture it is important for Sri Lanka to attract as much investment as possible, but within a national framework wherein the investment fits into the larger Sri Lankan picture of growth and progress, rather than for the benefit of the investor,” Cooke said, in response to whether the loss of the three projects will impact Chinese investment in the island. Diplomats express concerns Indian diplomatic sources told The Sunday Morning that the comments made by the visiting envoy at Point Pedro and near Adam’s Bridge, where he had questioned the distance to India across the Palk Strait, was intended to send a “well-planned – ill-intended” message to India. “Compared to 2020, 2021 has not been ideal for Beijing-Colombo relations. There have been many controversies, the delays in approving the Sinopharm vaccine, cancellation of key infrastructure projects, the renewable energy projects in the North, the Chinese organic fertiliser vessel drama, and others. Perhaps this is a diplomatic stunt to distract people from the status quo. Also, Beijing may not be happy with the results from their mission in Colombo,” the source opined. A senior Sri Lankan diplomat told The Sunday Morning that the visit, the controversial public statements which were made, and the publicity it was granted, indicates a possible shift from government-to-government diplomacy to public diplomacy by the Chinese. “Though visits and pilgrimages by diplomats to the North are not unusual, the visit by Chinese diplomats is. To make such a high-profile visit to Jaffna, a region which was fought over during the local conflict, is unusual because Chinese diplomacy, by their own proclamations, is based on a policy of non-interference in internal affairs of other countries,” the diplomat said, speaking upon terms of anonymity. The source pointed out that some of the comments made by the Chinese envoy during the visit are provocative considering the backdrop that the visit was made in. “The visit comes in the backdrop of several irritants in Chinese-Sri Lankan relations. The way the visit was made and comments about the renewable energy contracts: ‘We have got contracts from another country because we were suspended due to comments from a third party that objected to it’ raises some flags. Also, by saying that, I think the Chinese are sending a signal to the Sri Lankan Government; ‘inter-governmental diplomacy between us has hit some turbulence and now we are resorting to public diplomacy’.” He opines that when government-to-government diplomacy gets strained, diplomats normally resort to public diplomacy, pointing out the use of such by western diplomats on the issue of human rights as an example. “I think the Chinese diplomats were sending a signal to the Government, stating: ‘Don’t take us for granted. We may be your closest friend. But your behaviour is not very reciprocal’.”

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Chinese diplomatic visit to the North: China changing course in Sri Lanka?

Chinese diplomatic visit to the North: China changing course in Sri Lanka?

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