China tells India to stay off its Indian Ocean colony, Sri Lanka: Report

12 February 2017 10:32 am - 18 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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After claiming South China Sea to be its own sea, telling America to stay off its islands, China is reaching for the Indian Ocean, telling India to stay off its own colony, Sri Lanka.

That’s something investors in Southeast Asian markets should keep a wary eye on, as it opens yet another front between the two Asian giants, raising the geopolitical risk of investing in the region.

Sri Lanka’s colonization began back in 2007, when China supplied President Rajapaksaboth military and diplomatic support to crush the Tamil Tigers. Then came high profile construction projects and high interest loans that eventually were swapped for equity, transforming China into an owner of Sri Lanka’s major port— and a key outpost in the Indian Ocean for Beijing.

That’s bad news for India, which is becoming encircled by China.

“China’s growing involvement in sensitive ports so close to India’s shores fed New Delhi’s long-standing concerns about Chinese encirclement,” writes Jeff M. Smith in Foreign Affairs.

For its part, China has repeatedly asserted that it doesn’t plan to use the port for military purposes, this assertion coming as recently as last week.

But history proves otherwise. In the past three years, Chinese submarines have begun suddenly and repeatedly showing up in the Chinese-operated South Container Terminal in the port of Colombo.

“For India, the sudden appearance of a Chinese submarine in Sri Lanka was too much to bear,” continues Smith.“Seventy percent of Colombo’s transshipment traffic comes from India, and New Delhi has long been concerned over China’s efforts to expand its presence in the island nation.”
When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Rajapaksa a few weeks later, he reminded him that Colombo ‘was obliged to inform its neighbors about such port calls under a maritime pact.’ But the same submarine surfaced again in November 2014, catching New Delhi by surprise once more.

Apparently, what China says it plans to do with its colony and what it actually intends to do are two different things. And India must either devise a plan to contain China or be prepared to put up with it.(AFP)

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Comments - 18

ravin Sunday, 12 February 2017 12:43 PM

It appears know-one knows how much damage politicians had done to our country after independence because of power hunger. Lot more to come !!!!! .Evidence/Remnants of British divide and rule policy.

Henry Tuesday, 14 February 2017 08:14 AM

Rouges breed in Diyawannawa incubator and live by sucking the blood of citizens.

Henry Tuesday, 14 February 2017 08:10 AM

Pincha did China was ruthless like LTTE who killed kids, innocent villagers, destroyed the infrastructure of Lanka? Wake-up please!

Lal Sunday, 12 February 2017 06:48 PM

This report itself is from Indian clowns

Dr. No Sunday, 12 February 2017 05:20 PM

I am waiting for the patriotic comments from the JO and their supporters.

Happy Citizen Sunday, 12 February 2017 04:53 PM

I actually dont mind this... coz we are sick and tired of SL politicians. via DM iOS App

Ahmed Sunday, 12 February 2017 04:34 PM

better than being a colony of india

fernando Sunday, 12 February 2017 01:32 PM

better not to be a colony of India or China...

kukula Sunday, 12 February 2017 01:22 PM

Better to be a Chinese colony than of Indian. We like Chinese foods..lol..

SL Sunday, 12 February 2017 10:56 AM

India never wanted to see Sri Lanka doing better in economic and development front.Earlier they've gifted us with LTTE and other paramilitary terrorism. It was back fired with the killing of Indira's own son Rajive ,they are still reluctant to learn a lesson from disturbing us and still doing the same mistake due to their own selfish interests.

silva Sunday, 12 February 2017 12:38 PM

they said they wont turn the south china sea islands into a military base too...someone is making big money selling out the nation!?

sunil Sunday, 12 February 2017 12:35 PM

We are going to become another North Korea!!!

Shelly. Sunday, 12 February 2017 12:21 PM

We dont have to go mad or hide under bed just because some one rings bells for their interest. We can manage any thing and everything provided we decide and act unitedly and of course keeping rogues out. via DM Android App

gobbaya Sunday, 12 February 2017 11:58 AM

better be a colony of the Chinese than that of the Indians via DM Android App

Sofia Sunday, 12 February 2017 11:35 AM

Lesson to be learnt - no Free Lunch. Whether China India or US - we pay in some way. After all when we went Non Aligned we never got ahead but was stagnant.

Bala Sunday, 12 February 2017 11:32 AM

On another note - had MR given 25 Hectares to China from Colombo Port on FREEHOLD - we can just imagine India

Pincha Sunday, 12 February 2017 11:31 AM

So MR boasting about liberating SL from LTTE , but has pawned it to China. In time to come Sri Lanka might become known as Chi Lanka.

Kingsley Wijesinhe Sunday, 12 February 2017 11:17 AM

Ah, now the cat is out of the bag! China views Sri Lanka as its colony in the Indian Ocean. Any comments, Mr. Sirisena, Mr. Wickremesinghe, Mr. Rajapakse?

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China tells India to stay off its Indian Ocean colony, Sri Lanka: Report

Comments - 18

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