report on ECNOMYNEXT online, Jan 11, 2023 at 6:19 pm
– A top United States security officials met Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe and discussed maritime matters, the president’s office said, amid rising worries over Chinese activities in the Indian Ocean surrounded by the island nation.
Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher, the US Senior Director for South Asia for National Security Council met President Wickremesinghe and said that the U.S. values Sri Lanka’s partnership and is keen to further strengthen ties between the two countries through a broad array of partnerships, the President’s office said.
“The President also discussed maritime matters, including the increased efforts by the Government to crackdown on the narcotics trade.”
Laubacher’s visit comes as Sri Lanka is struggling to agree with all its creditors on a debt restructuring to secure a $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan.
China is one of the main creditors of Sri Lanka and has been consolidating its foot in the island nation including in Sri Lanka’s North and East where Indian influence has been high.
Wickremesinghe’s administration is under pressure as the economic crisis has started to take its toll at the grassroots. It has been looking for some backing from a major global power to come out of the crisis.
The U.S. and India have continuously raised concerns over rising Chinese influence in Sri Lanka and cited threats to the Indian Ocean region.
Both countries have been increasingly engaged with the Sri Lankan government at a higher diplomatic level after Wickremeinghe’s government allowed a high-tech Chinese research ship Yuan Wang 5 to dock at the southern port of Hambantota from August 16 till 22.
China went ahead with the visit of a Chinese ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship for replenishment following Colombo requested Beijing to defer the port call amidst India’s concern over the vessel’s presence in its neighbourhood
https://economynext.com/top-us-security-official-meets-sri-lanka-president-amid-concerns-over-rising-chinas-influence-108977/
