Chinese leader visits SL, challenging India’s sway - nytimes
September 17, 2014 12:01 pm
President Xi Jinping of China arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday for a 23-hour trip to this island nation to sign a raft of agreements as China chips away at India’s traditional dominance in the region, The New York Times reports.
On Wednesday, Mr. Xi is expected to visit the Colombo South Container Terminal, in which the Chinese government has a controlling stake through the state-run China Merchant Holdings.
In a letter published on Tuesday in a Sri Lankan government newspaper, Mr. Xi wrote that China “resolutely opposes any move by any country to interfere in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs under any excuse.” The statement was an obvious reference to growing pressure on Sri Lanka from the United States and other Western countries to investigate the killing of civilians during its civil war.
In his remarks, Mr. Rajapaksa said that China’s investments in Sri Lanka had provided every resident with cheap electricity. Mr. Rajapaksa, who is campaigning for his party’s candidates in provincial elections, announced that electric bills would immediately be cut by 25 percent.
China’s efforts to secure naval and maritime access throughout South Asia — a strategy called the “string of pearls” — has unnerved India. But with India distracted by its own problems, China’s outreach has been welcomed by both the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
Mr. Rajapaksa has visited China seven times during his nine years in office. Last year, China surpassed the United States as Sri Lanka’s second-largest trading partner behind India. China also recently replaced India as the largest investor in Sri Lanka.
On Wednesday, Mr. Xi is scheduled to fly to Gujarat, where he will hold meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, who will be celebrating his 64th birthday. But the Chinese visits to Sri Lanka and the Maldives could complicate what had already been a delicate balancing act by the Indian and Chinese leaders, whose countries are regional rivals but also benefit from growing trade ties.
