In 2011, the mainland spent $1.5 billion to build Hambantota International Airport in Sri Lanka, but soon after, the Sri Lankan government made a surprising decision: to transfer the right to operate the airport for 30 years to India.
What is the reason why Sri Lanka chose to be "stabbed" on the mainland?
Sri Lanka, an island nation located in the Indian Ocean, was once an economic star in Southeast Asia due to its unique geographical location and abundant natural resources.
However, Sri Lanka, which lacks its own strength, has not been able to obtain fiscal revenue with these resources, and it is even difficult to maintain the normal operation of the country, and it has become a small country that no one wants to establish diplomatic relations.
In 2007, when the Sri Lankan government proposed the idea of building a modern international airport in the southern Hambantota region, the Sri Lankan government, which had no funds, turned to other countries for help, but was rejected.
Just when the Sri Lankan government was in despair, the mainland extended a helping hand to him. There is no other reason, the mainland has also experienced the process of becoming a weak country to a strong country, and knows the difficulties of no one to help.
During the construction of the airport, the mainland not only provided financial and technical support, but also sent a large number of experts and engineers to Sri Lanka for guidance.
After several years of hard work, Hambantota International Airport (also known as Matala Rajapaksa International Airport) was successfully completed and put into operation in 2011.
The completion of this airport has not only greatly improved the level of regional connectivity in the southern region of Sri Lanka, but also injected strong impetus into the local economic development. The airport is designed to handle 1 million passengers per year.
In recent years, Sri Lanka has been in serious economic trouble. At the root of this dilemma is the relatively homogeneous structure of Sri Lanka's economy, which is largely dependent on a few pillar industries such as tourism, agriculture and garment processing.
Tourism once accounted for 10% of Sri Lanka's gross domestic product (GDP) and 14% of its foreign exchange reserves, making it one of its main sources of foreign exchange.
With the global "wind and grass", the volatility of the international tourism market has caused a huge impact on the Sri Lankan economy.
The agriculture and garment processing industries are facing similar problems, which are heavily dependent on a stable international market, and Sri Lanka's economy will be hit hard if foreign orders decline.
The Sri Lankan government's "fertilizer ban" in April last year has severely affected agricultural production and further exacerbated Sri Lanka's economic woes. Faced with enormous financial pressures, the Sri Lankan government had to seek external assistance.
Against this backdrop, the Sri Lankan government has adopted a policy of "making up for the west with the east", transferring investment projects that originally belonged to China to other countries in exchange for a large amount of one-time funds.
This policy is playing into the hands of India, which is trying to increase its interference in Sri Lanka's internal affairs by taking over key infrastructure such as Sri Lanka's international airport and Hambantota port, and influencing Sri Lanka's policy direction and foreign policymaking.
In addition, by taking control of Sri Lanka's critical infrastructure, India can strengthen its military presence and strategic projection capabilities in the Indian Ocean region.
This is significant for India, as the Indian Ocean is an important sea lane connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia, and is a key region for India to achieve its Indo-Pacific strategy.
Therefore, India is trying to keep the mess of Hambantota International Airport in its hands.
When Sri Lanka decided to transfer the operating rights of the Matara Rajapaksa International Airport (Hambantota International Airport) to India, the American media quickly reported this information.
According to the US media, India's purchase of airport operation rights also reflects its vigilance and concern about China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative.
As an important transportation hub connecting Asia, Europe and Africa, Sri Lanka has an important position in international shipping. India fears that China's control of the airport would give it more of a voice in the Indian Ocean, posing a threat to its own development.
As one of the countries directly affected, China has taken a resolute attitude in the face of Sri Lanka's "change of face". China has made it clear that it will have to pay $10 billion in liquidated damages if Sri Lanka demands the repossession of the port.
This position not only reflects China's respect for and upholds the spirit of the treaty, but also sends a clear signal to the international community that China will not tolerate any behavior that harms its national interests.
At this time, Sri Lanka, where the economy has collapsed severely, naturally cannot pay this liquidated damages. And India, which has always been unprofitable and cannot afford to be early, has long been hiding far away in the face of such a loss-making business.
Despite unpleasant events such as the transfer of management rights, China has always adhered to the principles of equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation to develop bilateral relations with Sri Lanka.
Over the years, China has provided Sri Lanka with a large amount of economic assistance and infrastructure construction support, which has injected strong impetus into Sri Lanka's economic and social development.
At the same time, China has also actively participated in Sri Lanka's national construction and management training, and has trained a large number of professionals and management personnel for Sri Lanka.
This incident reminds us that in international cooperation, the establishment of a long-term cooperation mechanism is an important guarantee for ensuring the stability and durability of cooperation. Countries should strengthen long-term cooperative relations with each other by signing cooperation agreements and establishing cooperation institutions.
At the same time, all countries should also pay attention to the sustainable development and long-term benefits of cooperation projects to ensure that cooperation projects can benefit the people of all countries in the long run.