{"id":85412,"date":"2025-01-21T01:11:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T05:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=85412"},"modified":"2025-01-21T10:59:49","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T14:59:49","slug":"85412","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=85412","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lankan Media Spotlights President Dissanayake\u2019s \u201cTightrope Walk \u201cbetween China and India.Editorials,Cartoons and Commentaries Focus on AKD\u2019s \u201cBalancing Act\u201d While Engaging with Two Powerful Countries"},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/p>\n

Meera Srinivasan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara D issanayake\u2019s recent, four-day visit to China, analysis and commentary in local media pointed to the leader\u2019s \u201cbalancing act\u201d with Beijing and New Delhi, Colombo\u2019s two key partners vying for greater strategic influence on the island.<\/p>\n

During Mr. Dissanayake\u2019s state visit from January 14 to 17, 2025, close on the heels of his India visit in December 2024, he announced a $ 3.7 billion investment \u2014 \u201cone of our largest FDIs\u201d \u2014 from Sinopec for a refinery in the southern Hambantota district. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, addressing a public rally of supporters following his return, President Dissanayake said his government is discussing a joint venture with India to refurbish world War II era oil storage tanks in the eastern Trincomalee district and develop it as a hub, referring to a project that many past governments have discussed.<\/p>\n

Around Mr. Dissanayake\u2019s visit, Sri Lanka and China issued a 21-point joint statement, covering various bilateral matters. Sri Lanka sought more Chinese investment, and the two sides committed to the early conclusion of a comprehensive free trade agreement. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Further, Sri Lanka reaffirmed its \u201cstrong commitment\u201d to the one-China principle, recognising Taiwan as an \u201cinalienable part\u201d of China\u2019s territory, and said it \u201cwill firmly support China on issues related to Xizang and Xinjiang\u201d. While the joint statement made no mention of Chinese marine research vessels calling at Sri Lankan ports, an issue New Delhi remains highly sensitive to, the two sides agreed to continue maritime cooperation, and \u201cpool their strength to build a maritime community with a shared future.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Wooing Sri Lanka\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

In its coverage since, Sri Lankan media pointed to the comparable, red-carpet honour and ceremonial welcome accorded to President Dissanayake in both New Delhi and Beijing. In its latest editorial, weekend newspaper Sunday Times observed that the two joint statements, issued with the governments of India and China, were \u201csimilar in content and intention\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cBoth aspirants for global power status and leadership roles in the Global South are wooing Sri Lanka through a strategic lens: India through its \u2018Neighbourhood First and SAGAR\u2019 framework and China through the BRI,\u201d the editorial noted, adding: \u201cIt seems that Sri Lanka has agreed to both jealous suitors, rendering its future balance of relations an extremely fraught tightrope walk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Colombo-based analyst and disinformation researcher Sanjana Hattotuwa highlighted Sri Lanka\u2019s \u201ccareful diplomatic balancing\u201d in both statements. Sri Lanka\u2019s joint statement with India focused heavily on \u201cspecific development projects\u201d and \u201cgranular implementation details\u201d, while its statement with China emphasised cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and broader economic frameworks, he observed.<\/p>\n

Weekend newspaper Sunday Morning took the view that \u201cIndia, which came to Sri Lanka\u2019s rescue during the financial crisis, will understandably feel slighted, for although it pushed for finalisation of several large-scale projects\u2026the Lankan delegation pushed for more time to study the projects. However, such concern does not appear to be applicable to the Chinese, where 15 agreements were signed, sealed, and delivered with lightning speed.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his recent column titled \u2018AKD\u2019s tightrope walk between China and India\u2019, Senior journalist and political commentator V. Thanabalasingham wrote that maintaining \u201ca non-hostile\u201d approach to China and India \u201cwill undoubtedly be a long-term challenge for the Sri Lankan Government.\u201d<\/p>\n

Critics\u2019 take<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following announcements on agreements inked with China, some detractors slammed the Dissanayake government for merely taking forward predecessor governments\u2019 initiatives with India and China, or for \u201ccompromising\u201d Sri Lanka\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n

Pubudu Jayagoda, from the Frontline Socialist Party \u2014 formed in 2012 by a breakaway faction of Mr. Dissanayake\u2019s Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna [JVP or People\u2019s Liberation Front] \u2014 accused the government of allowing India to control Sri Lanka\u2019s north and east, and China to control the southern parts of the island, Tamil daily Virakesari reported on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Acclaimed Sri Lankan cartoonists, often among the boldest and most astute commentators on domestic politics and economy, too, expressed their take on the competing interests of India and China in their recent cartoons, highlighting the tricky balance act facing Mr. Dissanayake, who has pledged to follow a non-aligned foreign policy. <\/p>\n

Courtesy:The Hindu<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Meera Srinivasan Following Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara D issanayake\u2019s recent, four-day visit to China, analysis and commentary in local media pointed to the leader\u2019s \u201cbalancing act\u201d with Beijing and New Delhi, Colombo\u2019s two key partners vying for greater strategic influence on the island. During Mr. Dissanayake\u2019s state visit from January 14 to 17, …<\/p>\n

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