Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has written in his recently launched memoir, “The Conspiracy to Oust me from the Presidency,” shedding light on attempts to sow discord between his government and China. Rajapaksa’s memoir exposes a sinister plot aimed at damaging diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and China during his brief presidential tenure.
Central to Rajapaksa’s narrative is the controversial deal to import organic fertilizers from China’s Qingdao Siwin Biotech Group. Despite assurances of quality from the Chinese supplier, the decision faced intense scrutiny and political opposition within Sri Lanka. Critics, including opposition figures, alleged that the organic fertilizers were nothing more than human waste, fueling public apprehension.
The situation escalated when the Sri Lankan National Plant Quarantine Service raised concerns about the fertilizers’ safety, citing the presence of harmful bacteria, including Erwinia. However, reports from an independent laboratory in Singapore contradicted these claims, stating that the fertilizers met safety standards and contained no harmful pathogens.
The rejection of the organic fertilizer consignment by Sri Lanka resulted in a significant diplomatic fallout with China. The Chinese Embassy in Colombo denounced the Sri Lankan authorities’ decision, asserting that it was based on questionable grounds and caused substantial financial losses to the Chinese company.
