Sino-Sri Lanka relations:

Durable partnership, mutual benefit

Dulshani Gunawardena

Throughout a history spanning over two thousand years, Sri Lanka has cultivated many fruitful and long lasting relationships with a multitude of foreign powers, including India, China, Burma (Myanmar) and Japan. Among all these nations, the relationship with China is one which stands out predominantly.

Sri Lanka’s relations with China could be said to be as old as the nation’s history, with Chinese records mentioning Sri Lanka as far as 4th Century. Modern day ties with China accelerated with the Rubber-Rice Pact signed between the two countries in 1952. This was China’s first trade agreement with a non-Communist country. In 1957, the two countries established diplomatic relations.

The Sino-Sri Lankan relationship has been one which has been strong and unwavering through both thick and thin. The most recent case being China’s support to Sri Lanka when the UN Security Council threatened to issue censors on Sri Lanka.

China has also been contributing greatly to development projects in Sri Lanka, including the ongoing projects of the Hambantota port, Norochcholai coal power plant and National Performing Arts Theatre. It has also contributed greatly to past projects, the most notable being the construction of the BMICH and the Superior Courts Complex at Hulftsdorp, Colombo.

This thick bond between Sri Lanka and China has obviously irked certain parties, as evident by certain media reports in the local press, alleging China with malfunctions that are both baseless and erroneous.

Presidential elections

These media reports hint that China is shifting its allegiance in the upcoming Presidential elections to meet its own political agendas.

Yet, throughout history, China’s foreign policy of not intervening with the internal affairs of other countries has been evident. China has never openly supported a particular candidate, and has extended its support to whatsoever political party in power.

The goodwill built in 1952 when the Rubber-Rice Pact was signed with the UNP Government with Dudley Shelton Senanayake as Prime Minister, continued to the 1972 construction of the BMICH with a SLFP Government led by Sirimavo Dias Bandaranaike in power. This unbiased support has continued up to recent years, with bonds further strengthening under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The self acknowledged political commentator in the media alleges that the China Xinhua Agency is very active in promoting Sarath Fonseka, making a U turn from its previous support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. This conclusion is drawn from a single news report filed by the agency. Had it not done so, they would have accused it as being partial and biased.

Today, China is a rising power. The second largest economy in the world, it will just be a matter of time till it clinches the top spot. No country can ignore this reality without putting their own interests at risk.

India, China and Japan can be earmarked as countries which are destined to play a pivotal role as future global powers. Various parties have been in a tireless campaign to spur relations between China and India at the interests of the USA and other Western powers. But, it is heartening to realize that relationships between these two powers continue to remain cordial despite certain unsolved problems.

Sri Lanka’s relationship with both these countries has been strong through all turmoil, even intervening at times to restore peace between the two nations. We can recall how Premier Sirimavo Bandaranaike mediated to settle the Indo-China border conflict in 1962.

Sino-Lanka relations

The writer of the aforesaid article makes slanderous statements, detrimental not only to damaging the Sino-Lanka relations, but also aiming to tarnish the relationship between India and China by erroneous comparison.

The media report alleges that Chinese projects are predominantly beneficial to China. As an illustration the joint Sri Lankan-China Northern Railway Project is highlighted. It is compared to the Northern Railway project carried out by India. The Indian project covers more mileage with a lesser cost, the difference of the two projects being approximately US $2 million per kilometer.

However, it is baseless to compare two railways lines merely on cost and mileage. The standard, quality and facilities available contribute much to the cost of construction. For instance, a higher maximum speed will demand more advanced technology.

There is also a ludicrous allegation that a minimum of 25,000 Chinese are likely to enter Sri Lanka by mid 2010 as labourers, and most of them would be low paid prison labourers.

Which country would employ its prisoners in a foreign land? Would Sri Lanka ever deploy hardcore LTTE cadres on labour to foreign countries? To be reintegrated in society and to even the mainstream labour force, prisoners have to essentially undergo prior rehabilitation.

Furthermore, who is there to administer these prisoners? Though funded on loans by the Chinese Government, these projects are carried out by independent Chinese companies. How can a private company with no ties to the government, employ a country’s prisoners for labour in a foreign land?

Chinese personnel

The truth is entirely different. For example, the National Performing Arts Theatre construction project currently employs 78 Chinese personnel and 200 Sri Lankan personnel. The projects in Norochcholai and Hambantota each employ over 1,000 Sri Lankan employees. Chinese companies do not implement these projects directly, but rather with the aid of sub contractors, mostly Sri Lankan companies. According to data supplied by a particular company, over 70 percent workers in it are Sri Lankans.

Why are Chinese personnel employed in the first place? Chinese companies are geared to make their projects as efficient as possible and complete them within the given time frame. Workers, engineers and other technical personnel with knowledge of Chinese technology provide a boost in reaching these goals. This is very reasonable as consultation is much needed.

How could a company survive without economic benefits? These projects are conducted by Chinese companies with the aim of profit. Chinese companies receive no special favours from the Sri Lanka Government. They have to go through a long process of supervision and evaluation.

The funding is from the Chinese Government, the majority of funds are loans rather than grants. They are of bilateral benefit. In the long run, what has China to gain from the Hambantota Port or the Norochcholai coal plant?

China has economic ties not only with Sri Lanka but also with many countries in South Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America, the most recently established being that with Brazil. Would all these countries, specially the large economies of Latin America, enter into such agreements simply to be fooled?

On the accusation that Chinese migrant workers are flooding Sri Lanka to such an extend that the second language would be Mandarin in ten more years, we should question whether the Japanese and Korean workers who migrated to Sri Lanka since 1977 have brought such a threat. Chinese beauty parlours and restaurants have proliferated to such an extent due to the high demand received.

Migrant workers

How would Sri Lanka feel of its migrant workers were accused to be a threat to a country’s national security? How would it be if Sri Lankan products, such as Ceylon Tea, which have a high demand in the Chinese market, would be rejected on such bias?

All those who point accusing fingers in allegation should focus their attention on the big picture. Sri Lanka is a country with a long road ahead towards development. The time is opportune. It’s an opportunity not to be missed. Potential is large. Maximum support of powerful allies such as China is essential to make use of this opportunity and harness our potential to the maximum benefit.