Sri Lanka defends China presence in Indian Ocean

[Type 055]

I think the CPC should take advantage of the move of many South Asian countries that want China as a counter balance to India. I think we should form military alliances and build some military bases in these South Asian countries. Lately we have seen Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives all seek closer relations with China. All these countries desperately want a counter balance to an aggressive India, I think we can support them in their fight for freedom. We should be selling arms to these countries and form alliances.

Yes, India will be angry if we do the string of pearls strategy, but India is powerless to do anything to stop this strategy. They will protest it, but we all know they don't have the military capability to defeat the PLA in any way, shape or form.

 

[Kaniska]

Sri Lanka defends China presence in Indian Ocean

Souce:Xinhua Publish By Thomas Whittle Updated 14/12/2012 3:22

COLOMBO, Dec. 13 — Despite defending China’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka distanced itself from being identified as an ally, insisting that multi- million dollar funding for ports and other projects is purely a ” commercial interest”, a top official said here on Thursday.

Addressing a gathering of naval delegations from 28 countries at the annual maritime conference in the southern city of Galle, Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa supported China’s increasing presence in the sensitive region.

Admitting that there was “wariness” by India and the United States on China’s increasing presence, he nonetheless justified it on the trade and economic interests China has in the Indian Ocean.

“China has an industry intensive economy that requires oil imports amounting to more than 200 million tonnes every year. Most of these oil imports are sourced from the Middle East, and then transported through the Indian Ocean to China. It is obvious that the safety and stability of the Indian Ocean is critical for China ‘s energy security, and its increasing interest and increasing naval presence in this region is quite understandable,” he said.

Rajapaksa, who is also the younger brother of Sri Lanka’s president, then went on to commend China for its economic assistance to the south Asian region.

However, he insisted that lumping the 360 million U.S. dollar China funded Hambantota port in the southern part of the country and the 500 million U.S. dollar Colombo harbor expansion project with China’s “string of pearls” strategy was a fallacy.

“From Sri Lanka”s perspective, I wish to clarify that the Chinese investment in the Hambantota port is a purely economic one. Sri Lanka has always pursued a non-aligned foreign policy, and our only interest is in our economic development,” he insisted.

Recalling the lost potential of the island during a three- decade war, Rajapaksa pointed out that after it ended in 2009, Sri Lanka reached out to many countries including China for development assistance.

“We welcome assistance from anybody who is willing to give it without harsh conditions being attached. This should not be misunderstood as a form of alignment with any one country or another. In fact, there are many development projects going on in Sri Lanka that are funded by India, China, Japan, and many other countries.”

Speaking to media briefly after the inauguration of the summit, the Chinese delegation said that their policy remained dedicated to peaceful engagement with countries in the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lanka defends China presence in Indian Ocean - NZweek

I think there is no issue in it....In international water...every nation has right to present itself and do the trade and business...Issue comes when someone encroaches others territorial water....And apart from that this is a fact that inspite of media potryal, India in future will allign with China in Asia...It can happen by choice or damn reality where India has to accept that China is a power where it needs respect and India has to allign with China rather confronting with him...If any political class of India or people of India think anything else, then we need a miracle to happen in our country to really counter China economically,politically or militarily...

 

[zaxcolix]

....Secondly India's fear about when SL deals with China can not understand. we don't have land borders with India but India share land borders with China, so actually threat at the Northern areas of India but not the southern part. What I have seen Chinese are trying to secure their supply route. .......

....and what India is trying to do is make chinese supply route insecure, to balance chinese efforts in making Indian northern border unsecured and contentious.

Any action by anyone against Indian interest is an act of war or an act of an unfriendly nation. There is no confusion in Indian minds.

 

[idune]

....and what India is trying to do is make chinese supply route insecure, to balance chinese efforts in making Indian northern border unsecured and contentious.

Did india scored any success making supply route insecure for China?

 

[zaxcolix]

Did india scored any success making supply route insecure for China?

..with the US sitting in Diego Garcia we dint have to try too hard in Indian Ocean...so we have instead stepped into SCS..and that is working out splendidly for us.

Vientnam has invited us to share its oil resources and has invited our Naval ships and when Arihant is ready with its 750 km range Ballistic Missile, Vietnam will provide it to dock there when required. Japan is eager for us to engage with them more....I will keep you posted as we achieve more success. Meanwhile can you ask you citizens not to pole vault into India

 

[Skyline]

....and what India is trying to do is make chinese supply route insecure, to balance chinese efforts in making Indian northern border unsecured and contentious.

Any action by anyone against Indian interest is an act of war or an act of an unfriendly nation. There is no confusion in Indian minds.

Unnecessary attempt, it seems India is already failed.

 

[zaxcolix]

Unnecessary attempt, it seems India is already failed.

Well we plan to keep trying till we succeed.

 

[Skyline]

Well we plan to keep trying till we succeed.

Try and try one day you can fly, or die

 

[zaxcolix]

Try and try one day you can fly, or die

...we all die in the end ...but better to try than be a @$$ kisser

 

[HeinzG]

India is not insecure about Srilanka which is equal to two or three Districts in India. India do not want Srilanka to become another Cuba like situation.

Good to know that.

Srilanka is one Island in vast IOR.

Sri Lanka is the only Island which can control IOR.

1) so you mean market will still be there so that means market of somalia & south korea is the same wait south korea is small than somalia so it means it is a small market.man there is something called purchasing power a developed SL will be huge market for indian goods rather than an undevloped SL

2) it will give a good name becauz it has the potential of becoming first fully developed nation in south asia

3) yes we have large human resource pool but a developed SL can supply us with quality human resource mainly scientist

Point taken. And it is good know that Indians are actually want us developed. Maybe in near future we can benefit each other with our co-operative assistance.

 

[IND151]

The current Sri Lanka-China relationship is a economic one-as of now.

We need not to worry if the current status of this relationship continues.

What we need to do is increasing trade with Sri Lanka, benefit from it and continue monitoring the Sri Lanka-China relationship.

Sri Lanka will, most probably, keep both at distance, refusing to be ally while benefiting from investments from both.

 

[IND151]

you forgot USA. they are the kings in any ocean.



Nothing new about it.

After US India has strongest influence and naval presence in IOR

it is our backyard and except USN, no navy is capable of Power Projection like IN in IOR, especially near strait of Malacca

 

[IND151]

When was Srilanka taken Chinese ride and declared "higher than mountains and deeper than relationship". Srilanka and BD are not Pakistan. They are balancing the relationship and not offending either India or China.

You are still licking the wounds of 1971, better leave that racist attitude which killed 1 million fellow country men (even zaid hamid confirmed that figure).

That exactly they are doing and will do

 

[Luffy 500]

SL have an able leadership it seems. A chinese presence in IOR is indispensable and they will achieve it no matter what a certain hegemonic terrorist state wants. The precieved chinese string of pearls will propel development of S.asian states to the next era.

 

[zaxcolix]

Good to know that.

Sri Lanka is the only Island which can control IOR.

Are you kidding me .... Sri Lanka is an island nation that has to import just about everything to survive. A simple naval blockade will kill you......and here you are talking about controlling IOR