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President rushes to China for confab on Asian civilisation
President Maithripala Sirisena will leave tomorrow for China on a three-day visit in a move that has surprised both political and diplomatic circles over its urgency.
Formally, he is attending a “Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilisations” that will open on May 15. The official website of the event said, “more than 2,000 government officials and representatives of various circles from 47 Asian countries” will attend.
However, sources close to the Presidency said that during diplomatic consultations between Colombo and Beijing, a one-on-one meeting has been arranged for President Sirisena with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. A similar meeting has also been arranged with Prime Minister Le Keqiang, they said. These sources said he would also attend an international event in Beijing.
What President Sirisena will discuss with the Chinese President has not been explained. These sources, however, said the recent IS-backed massacre will figure when Sirisena briefs him on measures taken by the government. Also on the cards is a catalogue of projects for which he is seeking Chinese assistance – an issue which would not have necessitated top priority consideration in the prevailing security situation in the country.
It is not yet known if he will appoint an Acting Defence Minister in his absence.
This week, military tensions between the United States and China have risen to a new peak. It comes in the wake of the Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command testifying before the Senate Armed Forces Committee in Washington urging military co-operation between the US and Sri Lanka to counter China.
That the trip comes just three weeks after the deadly IS-backed terrorist massacre that left more than 250 dead and over 400 injured. President Sirisena told Parliament this week that the 99 percent of those involved had been arrested and there would be “normalcy soon.” However, senior security officials, who did not wish to be named, told the Sunday Times it would take a longer period to return to normalcy.
The key question raised in political circles is whether President Sirisena will name an acting Defence Minister in his absence or allow the security chiefs to remain in touch with him in the Chinese capital. President Sirisena is due to return to Sri Lanka on Thursday.
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