Despite India’s objection registered with the Sri Lankan authorities, China’s foray in Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern provinces persists, particularly with a focus on the fisheries sector.
When Chinese ambassador Qi Zhenhong visited the Northern Province of Sri Lanka in 2021, India, particularly the Indian media, made an uproar. On that occasion, the Chinese delegation did it in style. The ambassador and the team offered prayers at Nallur Kandaswami Temple and even followed the local Hindu tradition by wearing a veshti and went bare-chested. It was done in an attempt to appeal to the cultural ethos of Jaffna people.
The North and the East of Sri Lanka are two provinces where India has special interests- strategic, political and cultural. Naturally, India is inclined to protest any presence of China in these two provinces. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which is the dominant Tamil political party in these two provinces also raised concerns about China coming there.
However, the Chinese side insists that it is visiting only the northern part of Sri Lanka but not the southern part of India. As such, it believes Sri Lanka should decide on its affairs independent of any external party. Sri Lanka is India’s closest maritime neighbour, and should have a close rapport with it.
No matter what, China is not ready to retreat in the face of Indian protest. It has chosen to invest more in the fisheries sector of these two provinces further. During the recent visit of Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda to China in view of the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China pledged Rs.1500 million for the benefit of the fisheries sector in these areas.
Minister Devananda said Rs. 500 million of it will be for the construction of housing units of fishermen and another Rs. 500 million for the provision of fishing gear such as nets. The remaining Rs.500 million is meant for the use of provision of dry rations to the fisheries families. China has carefully chosen the fisheries sector. In the north, fishermen suffer because of encroachment of Sri Lankan waters by the Indian fishermen. This is a long standing issue. The attempts by successive governments of both India and Sri Lanka to resolve it have been in vain.
The increased Chinese presence in the fisheries activities will definitely fuel India’s concerns but Sri Lanka will accept aid and other forms of assistance. For Minister Devananda, there is every reason to allay the sufferings of the fisheries community in the North because his vote base comprise fishermen, a community neglected by the parties such as the TNA. The minister is under political compulsion to accept help from anyone in the development of the fisheries sector as a result.
Meanwhile, a team of experts from India also called on the minister recently to explore avenues of cooperation for the development of fisheries in Sri Lanka.
If the minister plays his cards well, he is well positioned to benefit from both the countries.