5.5. The China Factor

♤ During the Mahinda Rajpaksha tenure(2005-2015) Tilt towards China was evident. This era saw projects such as the Hamabntota port and Colombo port City granted to the Chinese.

♤ The construction of the Hambantota port was completed and operations began in 2010. It was part of a slew of mega infrastructure projects launched by then Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose family hailed from the coastal city of Hambantota. All of them were funded by Chinese loans, which stoked apprehension in New Delhi about the Rajapaksa government’s red carpet for Beijing.

♤ During the Current government: The Hambantota port has been handed over to China on 99 year lease as part of a debt for equity swap.

♤ In May 2017, Sri Lanka had rejected Chinese request to dock a submarine on its port. However, in [previous years sightings of Chinese submarine on the Sri Lankan coast has been reported multiple times.