Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka‘s leading candidate in the presidential elections and the brother of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, would restore relations with China as said by his adviser.
In January 2015, President Maithripala Sirisena had suspended Chinese investment in the country. He had cited corruption, overpricing and flouting government procedures. Despite allowing some projects after instructions for change, the diplomatic ties between the two countries have been strained.
Mahinda Rajapaksa has been a close ally of China. The former president cannot participate in the elections due to the restoration of the term limits set forth. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a popular figure in Sri Lanka was the defence minister under his brother. He had overseen the operations to bring an end to a 26-year long civil war which got him a lot of popularity in the Sinhalese community.
According to a report in the NDTV, an adviser had said that if Gotabaya becomes the president, ties with China would be sought to be normalised. The statement comes days after President Sirisena alleged corruption in a Chinese company which has been contracted to build the largest tower in South Asia, Lotus Tower.
China is yet to respond to the new charges brought forth. It has in the past rejected the claims of any wrong-doings in its infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan government has been riddled with a slow growth rate and a faltering economy. The recent attacks in Sri Lanka have now also exposed to the loopholes in the security infrastructure. President Sirisena, had a major falling out with the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, in 2018 after failing to bring in Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister.
Sri Lanka’s tethering economy was a result of the scrutiny which the government faced after alleged war-crimes and the pull-back of western investment. A reason for the push to seek the support of China.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is still facing challenges from the largest minority, the Tamil population. Despite economic progress in the regions affected by the war, a failure to reconcile with the population also stands as a challenge for the Presidential hopeful.
It would be a close watch for India and the West, as in a situation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa coming into power would mean an increasing dominance of China in the island country. Similar cases to Hambantota, a port developed by China is controlled by China on a lease of 99 years would become a strategic threat to India. A growing relationship with China would impact the United States as it had during the time of Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Currently, Gotabaya is being investigated by authorities on the allegations of misappropriation of funds and questioned about his citizenship. Gotabhaya has a US Citizenship and dual citizens are not allowed to run for office.
(Inputs from Agencies)