Last March, China’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, proposed a China–India–Sri Lanka trilateral cooperation framework in Sri Lanka. He stated that such cooperation would be important for the region’s progress. He made this statement after India lifted restrictions it had imposed on direct Chinese foreign investment. More recently, the Chinese ambassador has once again emphasized the importance of China–India–Sri Lanka trilateral cooperation.
Qi Zhenhong has been one of the longest-serving Chinese ambassadors in Sri Lanka. He assumed duties as China’s ambassador during the period when Gotabaya Rajapaksa became President—a time when China had placed great hopes in him. Even before becoming President, during his tenure as Defence Secretary, Gotabaya had experienced tensions with India. Between 2015 and 2019, while he was in the opposition, he visited China several times and even participated in an educational program there.
However, contrary to China’s expectations, after becoming President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa adopted a policy more favourable to India. He chose India for his first state visit and declined China’s invitation to visit, citing COVID-19 as the reason. This decision deeply disappointed China.
Just as with Gotabaya, China had also placed high hopes on Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The reason was the long-standing party-level relationship between China and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). Beyond that, there were also ideological similarities between the Chinese Communist Party and the JVP. However, like Gotabaya, after becoming President, Anura also shifted toward a more pro-India policy. Most notably, he was unable to get the ban on Chinese research vessels entering Sri Lanka lifted.
The Chinese ambassador has served under three Sri Lankan presidents: Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Anura Kumara Dissanayake. It was Ranil who imposed the ban on Chinese research vessels. Gotabaya halted Chinese-proposed energy projects in the northern islands. He also embarrassed China by rejecting a shipment of imported fertiliser, claiming it was of poor quality. Ranil later imposed the research vessel ban; however, he permitted a Chinese investment project—the oil refinery project—which has still not become operational under Anura’s government.
What this shows is the limited room for manoeuvre available to the Chinese ambassador in the face of India’s diplomatic influence. Perhaps that is why he speaks about trilateral cooperation. However, Chinese sources say that Beijing has informed the ambassador that his service will conclude within the next six months.
