State media says China has no military plans in Hambantota

February 07, 2017 08:43 pm | Updated 09:15 pm IST - BEIJING

China’s state-run tabloid Global Times has accused India of needlessly raising concerns about military activity in Hambantota — a strategically important port in the island nation that is being developed by China.

A write-up in the daily, which is affiliated with the flagship People’s Daily , said that remarks by Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Karunasena Kodituwakku on Saturday that Beijing would not allow Chinese military activity in Hambantota were meant to “pacify” India.

“Sri Lanka’s vow not to allow Chinese military activity in the port of Hambantota is meant to pacify India, but is ‘unnecessary’ since the port has always been meant for civilian use and India is too sensitive over China’s presence in the Indian Ocean,” it said quoting Chinese experts.

The daily quoted Chu Yin, an associate professor at the University of International Relations, as saying that the Sri Lankan Ambassador’s pledge showed “India is interfering in Sri Lanka’s affairs.”

“The Belt and Road initiative always focuses on civilian projects to help developing countries, and China respects these countries’ security concerns when pushing infrastructure development,” Mr. Chu observed.

He added that “since India remains preoccupied with China’s presence in the region, Sri Lanka has to repeatedly pacify its neighbour even when this is aimed at promoting Sri Lanka’s economic development.”

The article also quoted Lin Minwang, a professor at the Institute of International Studies of Fudan University, that Sri Lanka initially wanted India to help develop Hambantota port, but it finally turned to China for help since India faces financial difficulties and concerns over future competition with its own ports in the Indian Ocean.

An op-ed in the same newspaper acknowledged that healthy competition between China and India in the Sri Lankan market was not necessarily a “bad thing.” “While China and Sri Lanka ramp up efforts to finalise a free trade agreement (FTA) this year, India is pushing for the signing of the Economic Technology Cooperation Agreement with Sri Lanka to broaden the scope of its existing FTA. It seems that neither China nor India wants to be left behind in boosting its presence in the island nation.”

It added that as China and Sri Lanka strengthen ties, “India’s desires to maintain its balance of power in the region are understandable.”

The op-ed stressed that China, for its part, is willing to have a healthy competition with India. It highlighted that that while “investment facilitation” is expected to play an important part in the upcoming FTA between China and Sri Lanka, a tripartite arrangement on trade and investment is also likely to be discussed among India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. “Sri Lanka may even be able to serve as a gateway to help Chinese investors explore the Indian market as the island nation is keen to make itself an offshore centre for South Asia”.

“China has no intention of turning the Belt and Road initiative into a zero-sum game, but India may still worry about the tentacles China stretches into the Indian Ocean.”

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