If historical accounts are accurate – and there is no reason to dismiss the writings of Fa Hien, Admiral Zheng He and other Chinese explorers – the friendship between Sri Lanka and China goes back centuries. Chinese coins have been discovered in several places in Sri Lanka, which proves that the two countries were trading partners since ancient times, probably through the Maritime Silk Route.
Newly Independent Sri Lanka (then known as Ceylon) was one of the first countries in Asia to formally recognise China after the Great People’s Revolution of October 1949. Sri Lanka recognised the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1950 and formal diplomatic ties between the two nations were established in 1957.
In April 1952, the two countries entered into the historic Rubber-Rice Pact whereby Sri Lanka supplied rubber to China under a barter arrangement, receiving rice from China in return. It was one of the first bilateral agreements that China signed with a non-Communist country.
Practically, every Sri Lankan leader has undertaken official visits to China and many Chinese leaders have visited Sri Lanka. Ever since diplomatic ties were established, Sri Lanka has strictly followed a One-China policy. The many buildings in Sri Lanka that have been gifted by China, including the BMICH and the Supreme Courts complex in Colombo, are a testimony to this decades-long friendship.
It is also significant that every Sri Lankan leader has selected Beijing as the destination for their first or second official visit abroad, which signifies the importance attached to Sino-Lanka ties. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake too has followed this tradition with his just-concluded visit to China.
This visit marks an important milestone in the diplomatic ties between China and Sri Lanka in many ways. This is, perhaps, the first time that Sri Lanka is having a leader with a truly socialist outlook, whereas the previous leaders only paid lip service to the concept although Sri Lanka described itself as “Democratic Socialist”. This ideological match could be of benefit to Sri Lanka in the long term.
The Communist Party of China (CPC), much like the ruling National People’s Power (NPP), is a grassroots Movement that has changed the outlook of China in the eyes of the international community. Given the similarities of the two Movements, it is inevitable that Sri Lanka will gain from the current developments in the realm of Sino-Lanka ties.
Moreover, President Dissanayake is in a unique position to leverage the insights gained during his visit to China for the betterment of Sri Lanka. For example, China has lifted millions of people out of abject poverty within a short period, which could provide lessons for the implementation of poverty alleviation programs such as the Aswesuma back home. Lessons can also be drawn towards the implementation of Renewable Energy projects, with China becoming one of the key players in that sector. China is also aggressively addressing Climate Change, which is another area where Sri Lanka can tap its expertise.
The highlight of the President’s landmark visit was his one-on-one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during which a range of bilateral and regional issues were discussed. Several MoUs pertaining to economic development, media, culture and education were also signed. The implementation of these MoUs will mark a new phase in Sri Lanka’s development, with China being a key partner.
One must not forget that China’s role in addressing the 2022 economic crisis as well as the debt restructuring process and its assistance will be invaluable as Sri Lanka moves towards economic emancipation in the coming decades. Sri Lanka also has much to gain by continuing to participate in the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), now renamed the Global Development Initiative (GDI). Investment and trade, not aid, will be the key to prosperity. The imbalance in the trade between the two nations must also be addressed in the medium term.
The President’s meeting with key Chinese investors and companies has set the stage for more Chinese investments in Sri Lanka, headlined by a US$ 3.7 billion investment in a new refinery in Hambantota by Sinopec, which already operates a chain of filling stations here. China has some of the world’s leading technology, communications, mobility and energy companies, which should be encouraged to invest in Sri Lanka. The possibility of securing jobs for Sri Lankan professionals in these companies must be explored.
The Government has deftly managed our foreign relations interests vis-à-vis India and China, the two regional superpowers. While we cannot ignore their rising dominance in regional and even global affairs, it is essential to be neutral when it comes to any regional power play by these countries and their allies. As a key player in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Sri Lanka must promote a peaceful, stable Indian Ocean open to all, sans military adventurism and expansion. On that note, the recent improvements in Sino-India ties have come at the most opportune time. Yet, the proliferation of military alliances and blocs in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is a matter of concern.
While much of the West perceives an increasingly ambitious and assertive China as a threat to their dominance of the World Order, the Global South sees China as an all-weather friend and a reliable partner. There is little doubt that China’s clout on the world stage has widened in recent years, which may be advantageous to the Global South.
Indeed, China and India have taken the lead in South-South Cooperation, a development that could potentially free the developing world of its dependence on the Global North or the First World. Sri Lanka and China, with their blossoming friendship, have set an example to the rest of the developing world in this regard.
