Vibes of Trust

The evolving relations between Sri Lanka and China over the past few years have generated discussion in the global arena. Numerous arguments are forged with a tendency to predict the future of China-Sri Lanka relations. It appears that there has been a spat between aspirants of visualizing Sri Lanka as a client state of China and others negating this outcome. The Cambridge dictionary defines client state as a country that gets support and protection from another larger or more powerful country while Webster says a client state is a country that is economically, politically and militarily dependent on another country. One can infer then that support, protection and control of a country can be effectively ensured in the realm of politics, economy and military.

China and Sri Lanka enjoy relations of cordiality and tranquillity since 1952 when the Ceylon-China Rubber-Rice pact was signed. Both the countries have been supporting each other on various issues on international forums. For instance, there have been attempts to blame Sri Lanka on human rights violations against Tamils on which China has acted as a bulwark. Likewise Sri Lanka, living up to its stated foreign policy of “Friends with all and enemies with none” has stood by China on issues confronting it.

Hailing from the same region, both have been concomitants. The growing Chinese influence in the region as well as its position around the globe mandates sufficient political support, especially from within the region. Every country in the region matters for China and Sri Lanka, being strategically located in the Indian Ocean, holds enormous value for China. The shipping through the busy Malacca Straits passes under the nose of Sri Lanka. Therefore, China has termed Sri Lanka as an important country in BRI. On the other hand, Sri Lanka has been trying to strike a balance between India and China as both are critical for her.

China’s economic support to Sri Lanka’s ailing economy is under three arrangements; debt, investment and trade. The Sri Lankan economy for years has been on a decline. This was further aggravated by Covid-19. It badly needed economic support from somewhere. China came to the rescue. It has not only been giving loans to Sri Lanka but has also gifted around $295 million in 2018. Such economic support from China at a crucial time was no less than a lifeline. Although, it has been projected that the Chinese loan has increased debt on Sri Lanka, yet it is no higher than it owes to some other countries. Besides, China has invested heavily on some major projects; four lane highways, Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port. There has been criticism of these projects for being biased towards Chinese benefits. However, these are planned to bring dividends to Sri Lanka also in the shape of FDI, job creation and infrastructure. Although, the trade between both has been increasing, but there has been a stalemate on a Free Trade Agreement between them, ostensibly due to Sri Lankan fears of Chinese products sweeping away their markets.

China will never pressurize Sri Lanka at the cost of losing it to her next door neighbour or the USA.

Both countries have also enjoyed good military relations. China was the largest arms supplier to Sri Lanka until 2009 when the war against the LTTE finally came to an end. There have been fears that both the ports that the Chinese have invested in will be used by China for military purposes. Sri Lanka has said that Colombo Port has been housing military platforms for various countries though it denied docking to Chinese submarines in 2017, apparently to dispel Indian apprehensions. Conversely, Sri Lanka claims to have shifted some security elements to Hambantota Port so as to exercise security control of the area.

Generally speaking, in world politics, when two countries of varying size interact, the bigger country gets the lion’s share but it is significant whether the smaller partner loses or retains its identity. Sri Lanka and China, despite being different in political systems and economic and military strengths, have continued their bilateral ties. Interestingly, China has well-understood the country’s restraints and constraints and so far Sri Lanka has been successful in maintaining its identity in this equation. China will never pressurize Sri Lanka at the cost of losing it to her next door neighbour or the USA. The space that Sri Lanka needs in such an interface is what China is likely to afford under any circumstances. There seems to be a relationship of trust, confidence and shared history that exists between both countries. The same is likely to continue instead of Sri Lanka turning into a client state for the PRC.