China keeps an eye on developments in Sri Lanka

by Suranee | May 20, 2009 at 02:25 am

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China's foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu says China has been keeping a close eye on developments in Sri Lanka.

The spokesman said the Chinese government had offered one million US dollars in humanitarian aid earlier this month and had sent relief supplies, worth three million dollars.

Ma said China has been keeping a close eye on developments in Sri Lanka adding that the Chinese government had offered one million US dollars in humanitarian aid earlier this month and had sent relief supplies, worth three million dollars.

China's Foreign Ministry said the 1 million U.S. dollars in humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka was to help the civilians affected by the conflict.

The Government of China will provide 1 million U.S. dollars in humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka to help the civilians affected by the conflict here, China's Foreign Ministry announced recently.

Last year Sri Lanka’s foreign secretary, Palitha Kohona gave three reasons why Sri lanka's traditional donors, namely, the United States, Canada and the European Union will be replaced by countries in the East:

The new donors are neighbors; they are rich; and they conduct themselves differently. “Asians don’t go around teaching each other how to behave,” he said. “There are ways we deal with each other — perhaps a quiet chat, but not wagging the finger.”

Sri Lanka’s foreign secretary, Palitha Kohona, put it plainly when he said that Sri Lanka’s “traditional donors,” namely, the United States, Canada and the European Union, had “receded into a very distant corner,” to be replaced by countries in the East. He gave three reasons: The new donors are neighbors; they are rich; and they conduct themselves differently. “Asians don’t go around teaching each other how to behave,” he said. “There are ways we deal with each other — perhaps a quiet chat, but not wagging the finger.”

China has not only become one of Sri Lanka's biggest donors, but they are also building a highway, developing two power plants and putting up a new port in the hometown of the president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

China also supplies weapons to Sri Lanka as does Pakistan.

At the same time, according to Mr. Kohona, Chinese assistance has grown fivefold in the last year to nearly $1 billion, eclipsing Sri Lanka’s longtime biggest donor, Japan. The Chinese are building a highway, developing two power plants and putting up a new port in the hometown of the president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sri Lanka also buys a lot of weapons from China and China’s ally Pakistan.