Text: June
Edit|Lonely drifting dreamer
As the second largest airport in Sri Lanka, Hambantota Airport was once an important project of Sino-Sri Lanka cooperation, but in 2017, India proposed to acquire the airport for a 40-year lease. Is this just a coincidence? So what is China's attitude towards this?
First of all, let's talk about Hambantota Airport, which is located in the south of Sri Lanka and southeast of India, is a key project promoted by Sri Lankan President Japaksa during his tenure, with the aim of promoting regional connectivity and economic development.
Speaking of this airport, it can be traced back to 2007, when China assisted Sri Lanka in the construction of the Hambantota port, mainly for economic purposes, wanting it to become a logistics supply center, and Sri Lanka wanted to develop but lacked money, which led to the cooperation between the two sides.
So when Sri Lanka wanted to build the airport, the two sides signed an agreement again, and China helped build it, on the condition that the Chinese company Hambantota Port would be given a 70% operating stake and a 99-year lease.
Construction began in 2009 and the airport began operations in 2012, but due to President Japaksa's defeat in the mid-2015 elections, other leaders came to power, and the follow-up work on the project was "far away", and the operation of the airport was no longer important.
Originally, according to the original plan, Hambantota Airport could receive 1 million tourists a year, and the "money" situation was bright, but after three years of operation, this airport has only one flight left, receiving more than a dozen tourists every day, and is nicknamed "the world's emptiest airport", and even used to store rice because it was once idle.
As of 2016, Sri Lanka's losses were as high as 110 million US dollars, and it was simply unable to repay the arrears of various countries, so it could only get rid of this burden, and at this time India expressed great interest in financing the acquisition of the airport, leasing it for 40 years, and it was reported that India even shouted to make Sri Lanka forget about China, and Sri Lanka also intends to let India take over.
Just before that, China had submitted eight proposals to Sri Lanka to take over the airport, but the other side remained silent until India had the same intention, and the Sri Lankan cabinet immediately began to evaluate.
The United States commented that the purpose of India's acquisition of the airport is to keep an eye on China, try to contend with China, and strike at China's influence in South Asia.
Why does the United States say this? Because India has always regarded the Indian Ocean as its own inland sea, coupled with the influence of Western countries, India is even more aggressive towards other countries in South Asia, frequently interfering in Sri Lanka's internal affairs, and does not want Sri Lanka to develop economic and trade relations with China.
China has obtained a 70% stake in the port, and can also lease the port and surrounding land as an industrial park for a period of 99 years.
The establishment of industrial parks has created many jobs and boosted the local economy in Sri Lanka, but Western countries and India have been accustomed to fanning the flames, claiming that China is using "debt diplomacy" to expand its influence and turn the port of Hambantota into a military base for China.
Sri Lanka is coerced by public opinion, and the new leader's concept coincides with that of the United States, so he wants to take back the right to operate the port, and China has made it clear that if it defaults, it will need to pay 10 billion US dollars in liquidated damages, and Sri Lanka has no money, and Western countries and India will not help him repay his debts, so they have to stop there.
In fact, China's purpose is mainly for commercial reasons, and the location of the port of Hambantota is very special, it faces the Indian Ocean, and ships from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other places pass through it.
Most of China's energy is imported from abroad, and it has to pass through the Strait of Malacca along the way from the Middle East, but Malacca is guarded by India in the west of the Mt. Helaka, and there is a base road in Singapore in the east.
As can be seen from the map, the Hambantota port, together with the Gwadar port in Pakistan and the Kyaukphyu port in Myanmar, cover almost the entire coastal zone of the Indian Ocean, which is bound to affect the business and commercial value of Indian ports.
Previously, the port had been operating poorly, coupled with the tsunami, the losses were very serious, and before turning to China, Sri Lanka had turned to India to help through the debt crisis, but India ignored it.
Later, China extended a helping hand and helped Sri Lanka build a large port, reducing the debt pressure of the other party, and in the future, it can also get a share of the operation of the port, which is conducive to Sri Lanka's economic development, and for China, it is convenient to transport crude oil to China, which can also be said to achieve a "win-win".
But Western countries continue to smear China, China naturally knows their intentions, the West is unwilling to let China operate, and India's purpose of buying airports is even more obvious.
Hambantota Airport is only half an hour's drive from the Hambantota port, and if India takes control of the airport, it will be able to monitor every move at the port at any time.
Therefore, just after Sri Lanka signed a contract with China to acquire the Hambantota port, India expressed its intention to acquire the Hambantota airport, and the United States commented that India seems to want to turn the Hambantota airport into a bridgehead for the Indian Ocean strategic departure from China.
When Sri Lanka's political situation was unstable, India interfered in the internal affairs of the other side and slandered China for building useless projects.
Sri Lanka is the dominant party, due to the country's backward economy, the debt mainly comes from European and American countries, if there is a "debt trap", it will not be China's turn.
Although India and Sri Lanka are closer in terms of language, culture, and college, they do not have the ability and ideas to save each other.
China is different, as a peace-loving friendly neighbor, over the years has provided a lot of help, reflecting the demeanor of a great power, the win-win situation also shows that China has a long-term vision, Sri Lanka has also repeatedly denied the "Chinese debt trap" said, and thanks to China's help, Sri Lanka's banknotes are also printed on China's A5 road project, coal station and other patterns, which shows the country's feelings for China.
The situation in Sri Lanka is complicated, and China has no right to interfere, but how can it sit idly by and watch India want to take over Hambantota Airport? Who is a good friend to him? Presumably, Sri Lanka will definitely weigh the pros and cons and make a wise choice.
Information sources:
Baidu Encyclopedia: Hambantota Airport, Hambantota Port
The Paper: Indian media: India wants to lease an international airport in Sri Lanka to "monitor" the Hambantota port
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1584768703903838749&wfr=spider&for=pc
Reference news: US media: India spent 2 billion yuan to rent the world's most idle airport, not to make money, but to stare at China
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1586798011255255549&wfr=spider&for=pc
CCTV: Turning a port into a military base? The U.S. smear against China is being smashed one by one
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1616891300966095188&wfr=spider&for=pc
Global Times: China and Sri Lanka have just signed a port agreement, and Indian companies are going to buy the country's airport with huge sums of money
https://mil.huanqiu.com/article/9CaKrnK4Iae
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