by Sanath Nanayakkare Julie Chung, the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka met with UNP Leader and former prime minister Ranil Wickremasinghe (RW) on Monday, March 21 at the latter’s private residence in Colombo. The meeting took place two weeks following her talks with Denis Chaibi, the EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka on potential areas for […]
Posted on April 13th, 2021
The visit has significance due to China’s growing ties with countries in the region and the US policy of containing China through the Quad.
The visit to Sri Lanka of China’s Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe later this month, may be described as a routine ministerial visit”. But seen in light of the developing situation in Sri Lanka and the South Asian and Indian Ocean region, the visit is significant.
China is keen on developing ties with India’s neighbors in South Asia to wean them away from New Delhi. Beijing is effectively using its infrastructural development program under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) towards this end. It is also strengthening its military ties albeit only incrementally so far. At present it is keen to project itself as a benign” power only promoting joint prosperity unlike the Western powers whose aims are imperialistic.