A special Chinese delegation arrived in Sri Lanka on October 9 and they were welcomed specially and warmly by the Government of Sri Lanka. The Government’s concern is that Chinese envoys will be able to visit Sri Lanka with special treatment outside the quarantine process that other diplomats visiting Sri Lanka must carry out. Also, Yang Jie chi and other top-ranking Chinese officials were the first Chinese delegation to visit the South Asian region since the Covid 19 pandemic.
A face-to-face encounter behalf of using the Internet.
With so many diplomatic missions in the world taking place online at the moment, what is most important reason that Chinese envoys come to Sri Lanka to discuss? Did they want to see the new government leaders face to face? One of the most important things that students of following diplomatic relations know is that the most talented diplomats record the appearance of heads of government in face-to-face meetings and pleasantries. It is at such times their true nature is revealed. It happens in diplomatic transactions.
Bilateral meeting was held in recently between India and Sri Lanka by using the Internet. For that high level Indian political authorities and officials including Prime Minister of India were participated at the event and also President of Sri Lanka and other high ranking political official, including the Prime Minister were participated.
This official visit from China to Sri Lanka was take place shortly after the aforementioned Indian meeting. It is a face-to-face meeting, not over the internet. Did China suspect that the new Sri Lankan government was not as loyal to China as the previous government? What do they see and proof from the new President of Sri Lanka, who was once a US citizen without political experience? What they were noted?
It is a fact that we can see why Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s new government is going to start some good negotiations with India and the United States. Minister Wimal Weerawansa, in the new government, has strongly criticized Pathfinder, its leader Milinda Moragoda and member Admiral Jayantha Colombage, saying they are acting as US agents. Wimal Weerawansa has also questioned their links with New Delhi. Wimal Weerawansa and other so-called nationalist groups have recently come under fire from the United States and India. Two important events that preceded the Chinese delegation were the appointment of Admiral Jayanath Colombage as the Foreign Secretary and Milinda Moragoda as the High Commissioner to New Delhi, which is very special to Sri Lanka.
China understand why this is happening. They are well awake in this regard. Sometimes may be, Communist Party of China in particular has discussed this situation in depth. China is not ready to relinquish invisible control over the geographically and strategically important Sri Lanka. Could it be that these sudden face-to-face talks took place to examine the current situation of the new leaders as well as the old leaders?
Who is this Yang Jie chi?
The Chinese delegation was led by Yang Jiechi, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China. China is governed by the Communist Party, and its Politburo plays an important role in governing the country. Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told parliament that Yang Jiechi was the second-in-command of the Chinese political establishment and that he was extremely powerful in China. Chinese President Xi Jinping is the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.
Yang Jiechi served as China’s foreign minister from 2007 to 2013, and provided essential international support to the Rajapakse government from 2007 to 2013. Especially at the Geneva Human Rights Council, the then Foreign Minister of China, Yang Jiechi, who supported the Rajapaksa government when they were isolated in troubles.
Today, Yang Jiechi Wein is the head of foreign affairs in the Communist Party’s Politburo, and his main focus is on U.S. – China relations.
So why is this Chinese envoy on US-China relations suddenly arrived in Sri Lanka?
Yang Jie chi has previously visited Greece and Spain. Greece is a close ally, especially of China. Under former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Greece was named Chinese President Xi Jinping as China’s most trusted colleague in Europe. With the severe economic crisis in Greece, Chinese investment was essential for Greece. But the victory of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, a Harvard graduate who came to power in Greece in the last election, gave the United States the opportunity to strengthen ties with Greece. (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3099636/top-chinese-diplomat-yang-jiechi-visit-greece-and-spain-week) Yang Jiechi suddenly went to Greece and grew up in this situation. Yang Jiechi’s Scope US-China Relations.
Regional political situation and emergency visit
“Yang Jiechi’s sudden visit to Sri Lanka comes at a time when Indo – China relations have been severely strained, as well as tensions in US – China relations,” Meera Srinivasan told The Hindu in India. The report goes on to say that the visit comes just two weeks after an online meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Rajapakse, as well as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s mention of regional tensions over Indo – China relations in Tokyo, Japan. That is a few days after doing.
In the first week of October, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alina Teplitz criticized China’s investment projects in Sri Lanka. The visit comes amid heightened tensions between Sri Lankan and US and Chinese diplomats. (https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/high-powered-chinese-delegation-visits-sri-lanka/article32806216.ece)
Sri Lanka is currently in a severe economic crisis and has been downgraded by Moody’s ratings. At the summit with India, India also pledged a $ 15 million grant to Sri Lanka. However, India has not yet responded to Sri Lanka’s request for a debt waiver or debt relief. An agreement with China last March provided a $ 500 million loan.
During the visit, Sri Lanka and China also signed an agreement to receive Rs.16.5 billion in assistance from China for rural development.
Covid vaccine for Sri Lanka
Yang Jiechi has assured Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa that the vaccine for Covid 19, which is currently being developed by China, will be considered for delivery to Sri Lanka as soon as it is approved by the World Health Organization. According to the NewsInAsia website, there are currently 7 vaccines that have been submitted to the World Health Organization and qualified for human testing, four of which are from China. (https://newsin.asia/china-will-supply-anti-covid-vaccine-to-lanka-after-who-approval-cpc-politburo-member-yang-jiechi/) China has been accused of expanding Covid 19 It is doubtful that China would be able to produce all four vaccines at this time.
Yang Jiechi’s visit to Sri Lanka, a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo and a key figure in China’s governance and responsible for US – China relations, is an examination of new approaches to Sri Lanka and an attempt to confirm the existence of Chinese aspirations. India and the United States will also be closely monitoring this visit.