During Anura Kumara’s visit to India, Qin Boyong, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, arrived in Sri Lanka. While Anura was in India, Qin met with government ministers and monitored Anura’s activities in India. Meanwhile, in Anura’s hometown of Thambuttegama, Anuradhapura, a ceremony for a Chinese-funded aid project took place. Speaking at the event, Minister of Trade Wasantha Samarasinghe stated that while Sri Lanka’s relations with other countries are between states, the JVP’s relationship with China is between two parties. He emphasized that the JVP maintains no ties with any other country, describing the connection with China as historically significant. It was notable for Anura’s Minister of Trade to make such a declaration in front of Chinese officials, in Anura’s birthplace, during his absence in India. Following Anura’s return from India Qin Boyong met Anura.
The statement issued after the meeting stated that China was looking forward to resuming maritime research that had been banned in Sri Lanka. Following this announcement, Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa held a press conference and said that the ban on Chinese research would be relaxed. Following Nalinda’s statement, US Ambassador Julie Chung met with the Minister of Public Security. That meeting took place after Qin Boyong’s announcement. After that, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath held a press conference and said that the ban on research vessels had not been lifted. He said that it would be lifted after a Standard Operating Procedure was developed. The Defense Secretary also said that the government had not yet decided to allow foreign research vessels.
This shows that the government initially allowed Chinese research ships and then changed it. Perhaps China wants to get the ban lifted before Anura’s visit to China. Now China is in a great dilemma. India is showing its strength to China at the first opportunity.
But it is not easy for China as well as India to get a clear picture of what this government is saying and doing. There is a big contradiction between what this government said before coming to power and what it is doing now. They themselves are now denying what they said. It is not easy for China or India to trust such a government and make decisions.
After the visit to India, the ministers of the government have made various statements that they did not agree with many of the things mentioned in the joint statement with India. This is a good lesson for both India and China on how to deal with a government without diplomatic experience.
