Before the government banned the Chinese research vessel, the Chinese embassy was very busy. However after the government imposed the ban, the Twitter messages of the Chinese embassy were not updated. The reason for China’s silence is that the government’s decision to ban the Chinese research vessel cannot be tolerated. Anyway, after the Chinese shipping embargo, China is playing a neutral role. China broke this neutral role and invited Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to visit China. Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena is going to China next week. Dinesh’s visit to China and the MoU that he will sign there a mystery. Dinesh visit to China is amidst of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s book comes out. The China South Morning Post reported that Gotabhaya had claimed that foreign powers had conspired to oust him because of Chinese investments.
Before being nominated for the presidential candidacy, Gota presented himself as a Chinese supporter. Gotabaya told foreign media that it was the Indian intelligence services that defeated Mahinda in 2015. Later he visited China twice. Once he went to China to take a course. Gotabaya changed after becoming president. He did not accept the invitation from China to visit China. After becoming President, he became close to India. It was Gotabaya’s government that rejected the fertilizer ship sent from China to implement his organic fertilizer policy saying it was unfit for use. Gotabaya’s government rejected the tender offered by China for power projects in the northern islands. Gota’s government was not on good terms with China. In that case, the story that anti-Chinese forces conspired to expel Gota is unacceptable. China should have conspired to drive Gota away. Because Gotabaya continued to pursue a foreign policy that marginalized China.
But he says in his book that the arrival of the Chinese fertilizer ship was disrupted by his officials, and if the fertilizer ship had arrived, it would not have been an agricultural crisis, and if it had been, he would have been able to implement his organic fertilizer policy properly.
Although Gota tried to give a boost to China in his book, there is no evidence to prove the argument that foreign powers pushed him because of Chinese investments in his book. Dinesh’s forthcoming trip to China is scheduled in a time where Gota’s book has become a controversy.
Dinesh Gunawardena, known for his close ties with China, was highlighted during the 73rd anniversary of the China-Sri Lanka Friendship Association. The Chinese ambassador credited the late Philip Gunawardena and Mrs Kusuma Gunawardena as the architects of this association, noting that Kusuma was its inaugural president. Expressing gratitude for their contributions. He also said that they should be grateful to Mrs Kusuma Gunawardena for giving birth to Mr. Dinesh Gunawardena who is also maintaining strong relations with China.
Amidst this backdrop, it’s evident that Ranil Wickremesinghe is leveraging Mr. Dinesh Gunawardena’s relationship with China. As the tenures of both Dinesh and Ranil near their end, signing Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in this context raises questions. The opposition’s duty lies in scrutinizing the specifics of these MOUs, as their implementation will extend into the next presidency and government.
