By Shamindra Ferdinando

Ruling party lawmaker Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, says Sri Lanka should be wary of overall Chinese strategy as the ongoing battle between China and the US-led alliance has entered into what the former Justice Minister called an intense phase.

“Sri Lanka shouldn’t be caught up in the situation,” Colombo District MP Rajapakse told The Island yesterday.

Asked whether the Foreign Ministry or the Chinese Embassy in Colombo contacted him following his criticism of the Chinese actions in a letter dated January 3 addressed to the Chinese President, MP Rajapakse said that he was not contacted.

The former President of the Bar Association said that he perused Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Qi Zhenhong’s response to The Island query as regards his letter to the Chinese leader as well as the reportage of the contentious issue of Sri Lanka being compelled to pay a Chinese company to the tune of USD 6.7 mn in the wake of Sri Lanka rejecting a consignment of contaminated carbonic fertilizer. The MP was referring to the media briefing given by Ambassador Qi Zhenhong immediately after Chinese Foreign Minister Wangi Yi left Colombo following high level meetings.

MP Rajapakse emphasized that whether Sri Lanka political leadership liked it or not the country’s relations with ‘Quad’ grouping comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia as well as South Korea would be largely depend on the current dispensation’s relationship with China.

Appreciating the Chinese backing for Sri Lanka’s war against terrorism at a time the West conveniently turned a blind eye as they didn’t want to interfere with the Indian destabilization project, lawmaker Rajapakse asserted China largely changed its approach with the launch of the Belt and the Road initiative in 2013.

Asked whether he endorsed the controversial US and Indian investments on the energy sector, the outspoken politician said that interventions made by ‘Quad’ countries should be studied against the backdrop of Chinese actions.

The former minister denied pursuing a high profile anti-China agenda now, thereby being part of the Western project. MP Rajapakse said that he had to pay a heavy price for opposing the Hambantota port deal and finally the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration finalized it in 2017.

MP Rajapakse said that he expected the government to pay attention to the issues raised by him in his letter to the Chinese President. The Opposition, too, has a responsibility to protect the national interests though they didn’t have the strength to take on the government both in and outside Parliament. Noting the presence of former Premier and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the launch of Sri Lanka-China Friendship Sailing Cup at the Port City last Sunday, the former UNPer pointed out how successive governments pursued policies at the expense of national security, political stability and overall well-being of the nation.

The former minister questioned the 99-year-leasing of the Hambantota port to the Chinese as well as agreements on Yugadanavi Power Plant with the Americans and the deal on the Trincomalee oil tank farm that ended up with the LIOC receiving control of a section of the tanks for a period of 50 years. Both Yugadanavi and Trinco deals have been challenged in the Supreme Court.

Making reference to Sri Lanka Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) that had been signed in January 2018 as well as Access and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) signed with the US in August 2017, MP Rajapakse said that it was crying shame political parties hadn’t been able to at least reach a basic consensus on foreign policy. The former justice minister said that successive governments allowed foreign powers to influence parliamentarians, officials, clergy, civil society and the media as well.

MR Rajapakse said that his call to take back the Hambantota port didn’t receive the expected backing for obvious reasons.