China- Sri Lanka to hold high level talks under strict health protocols     

By Bandula Sirimanna

A high-powered Chinese delegation led by former Chinese Foreign Minister and the current Communist Party Political Bureau Member Yang Jiechi arrived in the island on Thursday on a special 2-day visit made possible by a travel bubble created for the purpose and there will be strict adherence to COVID-19 health protocols, Finance Ministry sources said. 
Being the first ever Chinese visit in the South Asian region, since the global Corona epidemic, the visit is expected to strengthen cooperation between Sri Lanka and China, in the areas of combating the global pandemic and revival of economic relations.
The visiting Chinese delegation is expected to meet with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa today (Friday) and hold discussions with top level Sri Lanka team of ministers and high officials.  
The travel bubble set up for the purpose of this important visit will confine the delegation to Colombo and restrict their engagements to just two meetings with the Head of State and the Prime Minister, under the strict health protocol prescribed by the Ministry of Health.
The Sri Lanka side is expected to seek Chinese assistance in tackling the reemergence of the COVID-19 contagion both technically and financially and overcome balance of payment and debt servicing constraints.      
The visit assumes significance as Sri Lanka is expecting to receive the second tranche of a US$1.2 billion syndicated Chinese loan. China has already granted the first tranche of $500 million in March this year.
The two sides will discuss modalities in raising of anticipated Panda (Chinese) bonds and the syndicated Chinese loan that will strengthen the country's balance of payments, a senior Treasury official said.
The discussions will be centered on immediate financial health and medical equipment requirement of the country which is attempting to contain the spread of coronavirus at present, he added.
Referring to the state facilitation for the Chinese delegation’s visit during COVID-19, he said that they have undergone a PCR test prior to arriving in Sri Lanka.
Such a high level delegation will not be required to be quarantined in Sri Lanka under a travel bubble created for the purpose, he revealed.
Travel bubbles, also called travel bridges or corona corridors, do away with that waiting period for a select group of travellers from certain countries where the coronavirus has been contained.
“In a ‘travel bubble’ a set of countries agree to open their borders to each other, but keep borders to all other countries closed. So people can move freely within the bubble, but cannot enter from the outside.
Travel bubbles do require a certain amount of faith and trust in partner countries and their ability to contain the virus, including widespread testing, contact tracing and effective quarantining. (BS)