By Remy Jayasekere –
These days, newspapers and social media are full of stories about China buying up Sri Lanka. Hambantota port and land and Port City in Colombo are among the favourite topics. The common thread among all the articles is that this buying spree will result in China exerting undue influence in Sri Lankan affairs and some even suggesting that that Sri Lanka will end up as a “Chinese colony”. The extent of land involved is 15,000 acres ( around 60 sq km) in Hambantota and about 300 Ha (around 3 sq km) in the Port City in Colombo.
It is interesting to compare this with what is happening in Australia – two countries with a population of around 20 million each. Australia realises that they do not have the capital to develop all the development that can take place there and invites overseas investment. Chinese are the largest foreign investors in Australian agriculture with an interest (freehold or leasehold) in 9,199,000 Ha (91,990 sq km) of land. This is 2.4% of all agricultural land in Australia. So, China holds in Australia, a land parcel that is larger than the total area of Sri Lanka. (66,000 sq. km). They increased their land holding by 0.5% during the last year. Other countries such as UK, USA, Canada and Netherlands are buying up Australian agricultural land and now, 13.8% of all agricultural land has a foreign interest. The Chinese also own large amounts of non- agricultural assets in Australia. For example, the port of Darwin and several large mines are owned by them. On the other hand Australia owns large parcels of land in other countries. The Australian case was quoted as an example but the situation in most developed countries is similar.
Hundreds of companies in other countries have factories in China, either owned by them or producing goods for them under contract. Your iPhone, Dell computer, Nike Shoes or the Panasonic TV is likely to have been made in China.
As the above show, we live in a globalised economy with cross ownership of land and other assets everywhere. No one in the world complained when China owned so much land in Australia but everyone is shouting foul about these relatively small transactions in Sri Lanka. Is this a way of the West stirring up emotions to oppose the good relationship Sri Lanka has with China and the inevitable rise and rise of China.
Owning land and other assets in another country does not allow you to operate as you please in that country. You are subject to all the laws of that country and if one violates them action would be taken. Therefore the fear of losing our control over those assets is completely unfounded.
Sri Lankans have a history of trying to own everything within Sri Lanka. Bandaranaike’s boasted that they nationalised the oil companies and plantations among other things. This resulted in driving away all foreign investment – which Sri Lankans did not want anyway. The result was impoverishment when countries like Malaysia and Singapore invited foreign investment and thrived. If Australia thinks they do not have sufficient capital for development and invites overseas investment can we do it all by ourselves?
This “doing it all by ourselves” mentality goes onto many other aspects of our lives – specially to our universities. We do not have a single university in the top 1000 universities list in the world. This is partly due to the lack of research done but mainly due to the lack of international collaborations, staff and students. If Nepal and Bangladesh can have overseas students and we send our students there, why cannot we have internationally competitive universities here.
If we want to develop as a country, we need to start opening it up for investment and collaboration. Closing it up and trying to do it by ourselves is not the solution but is the path to stagnation and possible disaster. Western nations want that to happen so that they can have a foothold here and keep interfering in the mayhem it will cause.
*Remy Jayasekere – Chartered Engineer
Paul / May 8, 2021
I agree with the writer. Only last week British newspapers reported that China had spent £134 billion on buying UK companies, schools, airports, but the Government is not very concerned.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9534637/Chinese-investors-spend-134-BILLION-UK-assets-including-infrastructure-FTSE-100-firms.html
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nimal fernando / May 10, 2021
Don’t waste time with all this high-flung nonsense.
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The answer is very simple.
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Name one thing the Rajapakses have done that has benefited the country? Just one?
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If their past track record is any guide, this is going to be one mighty cock-up.
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Wanna bet?
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Native Vedda / May 10, 2021
nimal fernando
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“Name one thing the Rajapakses have done that has benefited the country? Just one?”
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Whatever Mahinda did to his family should be considered as benefiting to the country. Country and clan are one and the same.
Please read the following excerpt:
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Throughout the meeting was the rising chant from the crowd, “Mahinda! Mahinda! Apata Oney Mahinda! (“We want Mahinda!”)”. So Wimal was probably right when he said to rapturous applause “Mahinda is not a name, Mahinda is a country!” The great Vietnamese leader Le Duan who succeeded the legendary Ho Chi Minh and led the anti-imperialist war to victory often said ‘Socialism and the Nation are One’. For the people who swarmed over Nugegoda in February 18th, Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Nation are One.
The Rising: Nugegoda Feb 18th
Dayan Jayatilleka
FEBRUARY 19, 2015
COLOMBO TELEGRAPH.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-rising-nugegoda-feb-18th/
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According to Wimal, Dayan …… Nugegoda mob
Mahinda = Nation.
Are you going to dispute them.
By the way it appears Dayan is no longer with the clan.
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nimal fernando / May 11, 2021
Native,
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What’d I say? Lankans are not born stupid …….. but go on manufacturing stupidity.
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Self-manufacturing stupidity on a daily basis.
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Sinhala_Man / May 11, 2021
Paul,
.
I don’t “know” you but I seem to be responding to you many times today.
.
You were advocating here
.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/heritage-histories-a-reassessment-of-arumuga-navalar/comment-page-1/#comment-2392239
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that we listen to a perfectlybilingual young Tamil Buddhist monk. A breath of fresh air not breathed by oc, RTF, or nimal fernando.
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And the author of this article, Remy Jayasekere, is writing only his second article. The other:
.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/how-to-pay-more-than-rs1000-per-day-to-tea-estate-workers/
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was about the need to pay estate workers much better.
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As “nf” has also said, our problem is not so much with the Chinese as with our “Multi-Paksa” Government.
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hanchopancha / May 8, 2021
Let us sell lock stock and barrel of Srilanka to the Chinese if they are that dumb. It would be a better deal than to get tossed about by their half baked lackeys.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / May 8, 2021
You cannot compare Chinese, Arabs or other foreigners buying businesses or real estates in UK with what is happening in Sri Lanka. In UK all these investors come under UK laws where the law enforcement authorities whether regulatory bodies, police or local government authorities have the power to inspect the activities and take necessary action if any law is violated. In the case of Hambantota port, it has been sold on leasehold for 99 years, where laws of Sri Lanka does not apply and even the President of Sri Lanka cannot step in without the permission of Chinese government. Recent episode of Chinese ship carrying uranium is a good example where Sri Lanka navy personnel were not allowed to board the ship. This will happen in all strategic investments made by China including Colombo port city.
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old codger / May 9, 2021
Dr.G,
“Recent episode of Chinese ship carrying uranium is a good example where Sri Lanka navy personnel were not allowed to board the ship. “
It was a Panamanian ship en route to China . It wasn’t carrying Uranium, but Uranium Hexafluoride, which is a mildly radioactive liquid. True, it hadn’t declared its cargo, but it had only entered the port due to engine trouble. There was too much ignorant hype in the media.
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SJ / May 9, 2021
OC
Hype, true.
Ignorant I doubt.
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punchinilame / May 10, 2021
The question is whether the Laws of the new Commission is a
far cry from what the UK has in respect of their Regulations on
Chinese purchases? Here Political heads have something hidden
(as demanded by the Chinese Company?) and supported by cohorts
in Parliament.
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Ajith / May 8, 2021
“If we want to develop as a country, we need to start opening it up for investment and collaboration.” Remy Jayasekere,
There is no question that Sri Lanka need investment and collaboration in a competitive world. The country (not political party or family) should have a standard policy to invite investment and collaboration. Unfortunately, it is the same government opposed when the former government leased Hambantota port to China, MCC development agreement with USA, East Colombo harbour development agreement with India and Japan etc.
There are number of unanswered questions about this project. Sri Lanka not belong to one political party or one family. The people of this country should know the details of this project and whether it comes under the administration of the parliament. Have they done proper evaluation of this project considering the competitive and comparative advantage. Will this project produce enough returns to settle the loan back to the country. What will happen if you cannot make it?
I understand the project carried out in the past in Hambantota lead Sri Lanka to sign another deal with China to lease for 99 years because most of the projects were a failure.
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Jack / May 8, 2021
Ajith ‘s comment are spot on. Author of the article is correct in principle but way it is going to be implemented in Sri Lanka is by agreeing to all the demand in Chinese favor further locks up country into debt trap.
Government try to hide it from the public debate and introduced the bill in such way to prevent it from getting scrutinized by supreme court. Commission to control the port city was total appointed by one person (president) excluding any influence by the parliament. They did not give details of the investment to the public.
To any person with little brain it is obvious that this deal is done in china’s favor so that gratuity from Chinese bank can go to ruling family and their acolyte.
It they are genuinely interested in investment there should be national policy on development and committee should be comprise of well educated professionals in respective fields with some foreign advisers if we don’t have expertise in the relevant fields.
Unfortunately I just can’t stop suspecting the author is indirectly supporting corrupted family to gain some fringe benefits.
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Raj-UK / May 8, 2021
SL certainly needs foreign investment but in the current climate, only China seems to be interested in investing in SL. Anyway, we have come to trust China more than any other country.
In business, it is said that there is no such thing as a free lunch, so should we be cautious when China comes bearing ‘gifts’ in the form of loans at commercial rates? Particularly, when a separate colony with a port, not under the jurisdiction of the country but to be governed by even foreigners, in my humble opinion, is an open invitation for the likes of the Chinese Mafia (who controls Macau) to takeover. As for the other Chinese investment elsewhere in the land, how much does SL really benefit in the form of revenue, employment & transfer of technology? It is not ‘pie in the sky’ projections I am interested in but the actual benefit so far from Chinese investment. I am just curious.
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Momentous20 / May 8, 2021
China is swallowing Hambantota in one mouthful and Port City in the next. The hardest working people are the Chinese and their appetite is ravenous. The precincts of the two, will follow as further bites. More projects will be sponsored for ever increasing loans. Penniless Sri Lanka will be enticed into adding to the dead weight of Rs. 13 Trillion going fast on 14 Trillion. More the weight, greater the ‘boru show’ of glamour. Savings on fertilizer imports will increase the need for impossible demand on food imports. China will be the beneficiary. But before that, KACHCHA TIVU never constitutionally legalized with Upper House endorsement will revert to the legitimate entity.
How will the loan funder react to rescue the friend? The same way she responded to Pakistan in 1971 in the Indo Pakistan War.
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ramona therese fernando / May 8, 2021
How ridiculous is it compare the genuine investments of China in a place like Australia, with a thing like Port City. Port City is not an investment to build up the country processes in symbiosis with China. No, it is a financial algorithm to entice, entrap, and machinate the US global dollar and cripple it against the Yuan….and we’d get 0.1% for the effort.
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a14455 / May 8, 2021
RTF huh?
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old codger / May 9, 2021
A14455,
You can say that again.
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Paul / May 10, 2021
RTF I like your deep economic analysis. WhatsApp University was it?
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old codger / May 10, 2021
Paul,
We should be kind to Ramona. Unlike the bloodthirsty Vultures and Jesters here, she generally means no harm.
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Paul / May 11, 2021
I’m sorry Ramona. I apologise unreservedly.
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ramona therese fernando / May 11, 2021
Paul…it is the ColomboTelegraph writer app. Guess yours is the China Harvard app.
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ramona therese fernando / May 11, 2021
CT is open to all sides of the analysis. Those who read the articles can evaluate all and make better pronouncement, depending on their expertise of experience.
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Lester / May 11, 2021
Ramona Fernando,
“No, it is a financial algorithm to entice, entrap, and machinate the US global dollar and cripple it against the Yuan…”
There are simpler ways to cripple the USD. I already mentioned Taiwan. If China controls TSMC, the shock to the semiconductor industry will be severe. There is already a chip shortage cutting into future production quotas. Secondly, China can stop buying the US government debt. Thirdly, China can kick all American companies out of China. The resulting shortages would cause immediate inflation in the USA.
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a14455 / May 8, 2021
I agree with the author. Sri Lanka needs proper infrastructure to attract investment. over history, different countries have been an ascendance at different periods of time the Saudis , Japanese and the Chinese now. They have all been greeted with suspicion by the europen and western powers and they have worked to control them with all kinds of tactics. The difference this time is that China is about a quarter of the world’s population. and they have learned from what happened each time a country has been in ascendance , The most intelligent thing they did was to prevent companies like Google FB Amazon take over by developing their alternatives. and They can easily survive with their own local economy and the friends they have made with the BRI. I dont believe the US and European companies can really survive and thrive without the Chinese Market. So may be for the first time in recent histroy the western powers have met their match,
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ramona therese fernando / May 9, 2021
a14455,
Exciting to become rich out of thin air, ne? But beware, the mismatch between China and the West is stark. Copy the Western system so blindly and very soon the blank wall will be hit.
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a14455 / May 9, 2021
lol you have no idea what you are talking about RTF . This claim about copying is what they used to say about Japan and Korea. It is garbage. China is a world leader in new energy vehicles AI and most new technologies.
It is a very popular claim in the west , but then again I dont want to waste my time arguing with you .
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Raj-UK / May 9, 2021
a14455
This is irrelevant to the subject of Chinese investment in SL but in response to your understanding of the Chinese motor industry.
China is not ‘the world leader in new energy vehicles AI and most new technologies’. It was VW who invested in China & provided technical support in the early 70s to get the motor industry going in China. In recent years, China’s own manufacturers have mushroomed, blatantly copying designs of other manufacturers, a process known as ‘reverse engineering’. Toyota, Honda & others did file lawsuits for copyright infringement but as there are no copyright laws in China, have failed. For this reason & the fact that Chinese cars have poor build quality, proved by the inability to meet the requirements of import regulations, such as, the European New Car Assessment (NCAP) tests, are unable to export to developed countries. However, China, being the current biggest car market in the world with over 2 million annual sales, the domestic market has profited Chinese car manufacturers, which has enabled them to buy commercially failing European manufacturers, such as, Rover & Volvo, to benefit from their R&D, as well as, to get a foothold in Europe & other developed countries. China is not an innovator but has been benefitting from others, often not paying for the benefit.
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SJ / May 9, 2021
R-UK
Come out of the shelter of your prejudices to look at the range of technological achievements of China.
They are accessible on the Internert
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Humble / May 9, 2021
Sri lanka like many african nations have proven incapable of self development.
So they seem to have resigned themselves to allow china to take over.
If you read between the lines this article seems to say the same thing.
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Raj-UK / May 10, 2021
SJ
My point is about the Chinese motor industry, of which, I am well informed, as I work in the motor industry. If you have owned a Chinese car & a similar car from an established European, Japanese or Korean brand, you will notice the difference in build quality & engineering excellence. China is not an innovator but provides low cost manufacturing services for others or manufacturing without or without licensing. Fact.
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old codger / May 10, 2021
Raj,
What is a “car from an established European, Japanese or Korean brand,” ?
A Toyota assembled in UK out of parts from UK, China, Japan ?
A Hyundai assembled in India with parts from India, Korea, China?
A Renault assembled in Romania with Indian, French, Chinese parts?
How would you describe a Chinese-built SUV with a Fiat engine, Australian transmission, and German ECU?
The days when you could judge a car by where it’s made are long gone.
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SJ / May 10, 2021
My wife has owned a Volkswagen in the 1970s, a Hyundai in the 1980s- 90s, a Suzuki Swift into the first decade of this century, and now drives around in a Cherry QQ for the past 10+ years.
She thinks that the Cherry QQ is best value for money and a very reliable car, despite the car being so close the coast and vulnerable top corrosion.
*
China innovates as necessary.
They study the market and respond to it.
They may give Tesla a good run for its money: This is from BBC:
“Chinese £3,200 budget electric car takes on Tesla”
*
Give them time, not decades but a few years.
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old codger / May 11, 2021
S.J,
People living abroad tend to judge things by their standards. They are unaware that to us Third World denizens, cost effectiveness and fuel efficiency are prime concerns.
There are people who are aghast that we move around in Ashok Leylands instead of Mercedes buses. A five-minute talk with the owners should dispel all illusions.
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old codger / May 11, 2021
S.J,
The Chery QQ was sold in the US as a Chevrolet.
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old codger / May 9, 2021
Ramona,
The Chinese didn’t become rich “out of thin air”. Who gave them all the hard factory work so that lazy Americans could spend all their time on Facebook? Read it up.
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ramona therese fernando / May 9, 2021
OC,
No, I mean Sri Lanka expects to become rich out of thin air. Chinese became rich by copying Western products, and mass producing them cheaply on cheap Chinese labour force. Americans are the hardest working people I know and use facebook as platform to discuss profound concepts and ideas. Many Chinese however are game addicted.
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old codger / May 9, 2021
Ramona,
Do you know that paper, gunpowder, and printing were all Chinese inventions that Westerners copied ?
In the 60’s and 70’s, it was the Japanese who were accused of using cheap labour to make ” unreliable” or ” flimsy” cars and electronics, stealing the jobs of white workers. Now we know the truth. Racism comes in many guises.
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ramona therese fernando / May 10, 2021
OC,
–
Of course! West copied and assimilated all the knowledge they learned from other nations, especially the ones they colonized. But now, they have taken all that knowledge and assimilated it to greater heights that can mostly belong to them. No one country they stole and copied from can lay claim to the genius that the West now posesses (even if done for better or worse). But as a small nation, we must be astute, honorable to our Masses, be humble, and be friendly with all powers.
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And yes, Japan as an industrial nation did steal jobs from the West with their cars. But Japan was quite a different scenario from China, which did not have a driving ambition to take over from the West after WW2. They were merely trying to survive as an industrialized nation.
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old codger / May 10, 2021
Ramona,
“But Japan was quite a different scenario from China, which did not have a driving ambition to take over from the West “
Japan did try to set up its own Empire. That’s why it got nuked. Remember, you’re an Asian like me even if you live in the US.
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ramona therese fernando / May 10, 2021
OC,
You forgot the ….”after WW2″ part. No indeed, Japan was desperately trying to fulfill its WW2 reparations against other nations, and so the West ignored much.
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ramona therese fernando / May 10, 2021
And S Asians are very very different from E Asians.
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old codger / May 10, 2021
Ramona,
Haven’t you heard that South Asians too are being beaten up in USA?
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ramona therese fernando / May 10, 2021
Of course they are being…..so are the Africans. But this has no bearing on this discussion. Why end it with a non–essential componant, I don’t know. But that’s typical…..having that last word with little relevance, isn’t it.
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nimal fernando / May 11, 2021
OC, Ramona,
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Can you have your love spats in private? …….. this is a public forum ……. people are watching! :))
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old codger / May 11, 2021
Nimal,
You can make it a threesome if you like!😁
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Tamil from the north / May 11, 2021
ramona therese fernando grandmother, please give it a break and get lost.
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Native Vedda / May 10, 2021
old codger
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“In the 60’s and 70’s, it was the Japanese who were accused of using cheap labour to make ” unreliable” or ” flimsy” cars and electronics, stealing the jobs of white workers. Now we know the truth. Racism comes in many guises.”
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When in 1982 Sony Chairman Akio Morita was interviewed by PLAYBOY (Naughty magazine for intellectuals like Nimal Fernando) the arrogant American interviewer accused Japan in general and Sony in particular of capturing US markets. Akio rebutted, Japan hadn’t captured American market but Japanese companies had created new markets, for example “Sony Walkman” ….., meaning there was no market for walkman, because there was no product like walkman.
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Is that what George Schempeter called Creative Destruction?
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Do you think Karaka members and members of saffron brigade have full understanding of changing world, innovation, industrialization, ….modern finance …?
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Like SJ they want to take the country to 500 BC.
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nimal fernando / May 11, 2021
“intellectuals like Nimal Fernando”
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” intellectual” ………. I take that as the ultimate insult ……… EE has just proven that Rajapakses are intellectuals.
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“Akio Morita”
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In the mid 80s …… blaming the Japanese cars that were flooding the US market, a GM worker who had just lost his job, together with his nephew, murdered a Chinese guy with a baseball bat in a bar thinking he was a Japanese. Now that the Chinese are flooding the US market perhaps that guy was ahead of his time!
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After 9/11 ……….. a mob chased down and killed a Sikh wearing a turban …….. because in pictures Osama Bin Laden was wearing a turban.
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Hardly a difference between the 6.9 Lankan and 74 million American voters.
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Time for us to become the 53rd state ……… Ramona has already moved …….. taking with her the wisdom that bridge our two nations …………
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Nathan / May 8, 2021
Owning land and other assets in another country does not allow you to operate as you please in that country. This would hold true only if the Chinese operations meet International norms.
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SJ / May 9, 2021
The country lost its initiative to develop its national economy. The open economy declared in 1978 ensured that. The country’s transformation into a debtor nation soon followed.
Industries and businesses were privatized only to be asset stripped. Even local farmers faced ruin by the liberal import policy.
The main source of earnings fast became selling our labour power directly abroad or in the FTZs.
FTZs have brought industrialization and economic growth in some countries but the exact opposite happened here.
The kind of foreign investment that the country attracted has not brought development or prosperity.
Daydreaming about foreign investment saving the country will take us nowhere.
The country has to be selective about foreign investment with a long term perspective.
Every government has failed in that respect. The war was only an excuse.
*
The Port City idea was initially mooted in a different form by the UNP.
It was a bad idea from the outset, but our bad idea.
China undertook it like other major projects which other countries would not help with.
*
We got into a mess by following an economic policy initiated by the UNP in 1978, but with Port City we are seeking more of the same.
The Port City Bill will transfer all benefit to a few at the expense of the country.
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Ajith / May 9, 2021
It is not acceptable to put the blame on the open economy for the failure of Sri Lanka’s national economy. It is not only Sri Lanka that moved from closed economy to open economy. Even China developed because of its open economy. Whether it is closed economy or open economy there should be a proper regulatory mechanism and policies to manage both agricultural sector, Industrial sector, service sector including finance. The problem in Sri Lanka is racism in politics. Sri Lanka had continuous instability, unrest, riots, armed rebellions, war, militarisation, destruction of economy, corruption, lawlessness and still nothing changed. Yes you cannot blame China, but you cannot also blame USA. The problem is here, in this country, in this country’s politics and in this country’s people. Some trying to blame 1978 JR UNP, Some trying to blame 1958 SWRD of SLFP. But Both come from the same background.
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SJ / May 10, 2021
The country’s economic performance speaks volumes.
Ask the farmer in Jaffna for starters.
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Ajith / May 10, 2021
Ask the Sinhala military (Jaffna farmers now) or who are working with Sinhala military.
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SJ / May 10, 2021
A
If you are honestly ignorant of the consequences of the open economy, let me tell you:
Flooding the market with imported onion and potato since 1978 ruined the Jaffna farmer who thrived in the earlier years of that decade.
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Ajith / May 11, 2021
SJ,
I am a Sri Lankan agriculturist and I know what the consequences of closed economy introduced in Sri lanka in 1970s and open economy introduced in 1978. Why did the SLFP (Mrs. SWRD) government lost its power in 1977 to UNP (JRJ). Can you remember when was the people queing for bread and rice and the black market flourishing in the country?
Not only Jaffna farmers but also farmers in other parts of Sri Lanka, particularly benefitted from Subsidiary food crops (Cash crops) partly due to import ban and use of fertilizer and agro-chemicals with irrigation. But there was shortage of rice in the country which is the main food. Black market was swelling and some one said they will bring rice from moon and later they lost everything.
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Lester / May 9, 2021
“and some even suggesting that that Sri Lanka will end up as a “Chinese colony”.
China does not need to colonize Sri Lanka. There are already millions of Chinese (collectively) living in Thailand, Phillipines, Japan, S. Korea, Indonesia, and all Western capitals. China’s attention right now is on Taiwan. Taiwan is very important for semiconductor manufacturing. If China is able to successfully invade Taiwan, it will be a major blow to Western economies. What does China want from S. Lanka? Probably permission to build military bases. This will be a headache for India. What will Sri Lanka get in return? Accelerated economic development and easy access to foreign capital without the hassle of “human rights.”
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Native Vedda / May 9, 2021
Lester
–
“China does not need to colonize Sri Lanka. There are already millions of Chinese (collectively) living in Thailand, Phillipines, Japan, S. Korea, Indonesia, and all Western capitals. China’s attention right now is on Taiwan.”
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What is the difference between people ordinarily living abroad and maintaining a colony?
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If you haven’t any idea please feel free not to respond.
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Lester / May 9, 2021
Vedda,
How does one maintain a colony without people living there?
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Humble / May 9, 2021
Lester
What does China want from S. Lanka? Probably permission to build military bases. This will be a headache for India
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This is the typical sinhala mindset.
‘As long as tamils and india dont benefit, anything goes’
And no china dont need permission to build bases in hambantota or the port city area as it already belongs to them. Its sri lankans who need permission to go into those areas.
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Lester / May 10, 2021
Humble,
Westerners want the same thing. 800 US military bases all around the world. Sri Lankan Government borrowed a lot of money to pay for the war against Tiger terrorists. All of the money has to be paid back with interest. In the perfect world, money could be seized from Tamil diaspora bank accounts to compensate the people of Sri Lanka. Since this is not feasible, Sri Lanka needs to choose a foreign partner who offers the best terms on loans. The best partner is not the EU or World Bank or IMF, but China. Since Chinese loans are not related to “human rights.”
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SJ / May 10, 2021
Lester
It is good to do some research before commenting on matters.
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leelagemalli / May 10, 2021
By this comment – Lester proves himself to be “Interllectual”: My foot ! Any country fallen on edges were saved by IMF in the end… not by chinese abusive investments/loans.
The chinese choose – PAMBAYAS like leaders to inject their germs so that their survival machines could run well meeting with their ulterior motives. Our ballige puthas would not realize it easily… they are blood suckers produced by LANKA matha to self destruct this nation. Curse on RAJAPKSHES !!!
.
Lester kind of ultra stupid men would never see it right. They are irreversibly brainwashed for the survival medamunal alpha animals. We could make our minds, if these buggers were illiterate. Anyways, so long these buggers would bear sinhala buddhist genetics.. nothing would change tangibly for the betterment of this nation. I am born buddhist, but I today respect only MEDITATION part of the buddhism following true buddhism .. I dont kneel down before SRILANKEN KIND of pinguthtarayas…. never again… enough is enoguh… only pinguththarayas and Rajapakshes should be made responsible for the deep fall of SRILANKA today…
:
The kind of men were not stupid, CRIME friendly rajapakshes would no thave the chance to come back and ruin the country again.
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leelagemalli / May 10, 2021
contd.
Now the criminals have proved it again, that their capabilities are not it is all cracked up to be. Gota-Baya came to power promising sky and earth, however the bugger has failed to settle even one simple issues, such as purchase of sufficient loads of covid-jabs at least for 60% of the island population.
:
Thanks to CBK and her external politics under Late Mr Kadirgamar, entire world donated enough funds for the rebuilding after tsunami hit coastal belt of srilanka.Some of those funds though made MAHINDA RAJAPAKSHE FAMILY untouchably wealthy (Diwi naeguma case/tsunami embezzelment is public secret), people could return to their lives… however, now not a single donator to be found to help out srilanken being caught by COVID crisis.
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Even BIG BROTHER india is reported to offer their JABs to srilankens for 5 dollars /vaccine.. while they are believed to have sold it to arab countries for 2-3dollar/each… see how MEDAMULANA alpha animals have achieved within shorter period of time… ? NO MORE EXAMPLES would further be necessary….
Good riddance to SRILANKENS, you guys cut your neck by your own !!!!.
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Humble / May 10, 2021
Lester
In the perfect world, money could be seized from Tamil diaspora bank accounts to compensate the people of Sri Lanka
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We already saw what happened when the rajapaksas got hold of LTTE financier kumaran pathmanathan. There was a transfer of funds from the LTTE to the Rajapaksas pockets. It certainly didnt go to ‘the people’
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SJ / May 10, 2021
H
Who let you into that little secret about China wanting military bases here?
You will know as I do, who has hundreds of military bases round the globe and still has three wars on its hand, besides meddling in a nearly a dozen countries to destabilize governments.
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Mallaiyuran / May 9, 2021
For the utter racism and daylight robbery to deposit dollars in foreign countries’ banks, Lankan smarties named as Marxist way of attracting foreign investment. Recently India captured 3 transhipment of Iranian narcotics, with in a week. But they said, after secretly doing something to Pulastini that she ran to India. China knows all. It hacked the computers and captured the Colombo Pong Cing in 2013. Then it helped the poor nation with slapping $280M to fund Ranil’s regime change in 2015. Making to feel odd & shame to read, the amazing things the Modayas writing as Marxist Economics & CHina’s Philanthropy. Then China fined $15 million for Pahato Tower, which Lanakwe still not have proper title. Yes,shameless Sinhala Intellectuals open to China to pour. FDI. BUt ever yuan coming to Lanakwe in bad loan, nothing FDI. The MOdayas went to many Western universities, still not willing to understand the loan and FDI. Further, the Marxist Modayas cannot understand why china doesn’t need FDI, Lanakwe needs it come up.
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soma / May 10, 2021
30% of Sri Lankans are anti Indian, 30% anti Chinese and another 30% anti American.
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A few Tamil separatists are pro Indian , a few rock/soil subcontractors are pro Chinese and a few NGOs are pro American.
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Neither India, China or America cares a hoot.
Their love for this little island and little islanders remains undiminished . All the same they all wish to see us remain poor – only then they can shower us with charity.
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Actually nobody wants to grab this island.
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India is satisfied if we don’t enter into military pacts with China or America, China is satisfied if we don’t enter into military pacts with India or America and America is satisfied if we don’t enter into military pacts with China or India.
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At the end of the competion America remains on top.
Ayatollah Komeni, Bin Laden, Putin, Xi Jinping all want to send their Children to America for education.
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Soma
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Humble / May 10, 2021
Soma
Not true at all.
Sinhalese, muslims and lankan tamils as a general rule hate india.
Its only the indian origin up country tamils who have any love for india.
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soma / May 10, 2021
“Its only the indian origin up country tamils who have any love for india.”
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That is why they refused to go to India.
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Soma
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Humble / May 10, 2021
That is why they refused to go to India
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Using that same logic ask why so many sinhala supremacists are living in western countries?
Indian tamils in SL dont blindly love everything about india but they do understand they have a racial and cultural link with her which they dont pretend does not exist. Unlike the delusional sinhalese, arab wannabe muslims and the arrogant NE tamils.
They are like children who grow up hating their parents.
Nothing good ever comes out of that.
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Native Vedda / May 11, 2021
soman
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“That is why they refused to go to India.”
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Why should they?
As far as they are concerned they are living in one part of India.
Why do you expect Indians to relocate another part of the same country.
You tend to forget reality, as far as Hindians are concerned Sri Lanka is the Sinhala state of Hindia.
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Hope you will stop being a stupid.
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SJ / May 10, 2021
H & S
The Hill Country Tamils are not very interested in this power rivalry. Their leaders have business interests with India.
N&E Tamils have been conditioned to dislike China since 1960s. There is more anti-China venom in a single issue of a typical Jaffna daily than in a whole week of comments in CT.
Dislike for communism is strong now among Muslims, and they imagine that China and Russia are communist. Educated Muslims were more to the left than their Tamil counterparts in the 1950s and 60s.
Sinhalese preferences are considerably driven by political loyalties.
Distrust is most against India.
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Humble / May 10, 2021
China is an evil nation.
They have an utterly wicked social credit score system where their population is under total surveillance on every level. And even uttering an anti-ruling class word can find their lives sabotaged.
They also have legions of gangstalkers among the public who are encouraged to spy on, sabotage and snitch on even their own family members.
If they dont outright murder or jail a rebellious spirit. They will deny that person jobs, loans, rights to travel on a train, bus or aircraft.
Its a technological hell on earth. The chinese people themselves are like souless robots due to many generations of being crushed by its ruling class.
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Native Vedda / May 11, 2021
Humble
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Please note as far as SJ is concerned China could do no wrong.
He is becoming more and more like Wimal Weerawansa who believes ““Mahinda is not a name, Mahinda is a country!” while SJ believes “China is not just a country but China is the Universe containing the god as well as the blackhole.
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Fred / May 10, 2021
Given the differences in their nature, the Chinese investment in Australia agriculture does not bear comparison with the Port City project (PCP) which gives China a unique, critical presence at a STRATEGIC location – the Australian investment gives no such benefit. Also, the PCP gives the Chinese, in addition-to a 99 year lease over another area –an outright grant of land of 20 ha, with unfettered, freehold title, to hold in perpetuity. One wonders whether territorial rights over the surrounding waters also go with it.
Something RJ has not stated is that Australia has recently been looking again at foreign investments there and has already ‘torn up’ some agreements which the state government of Victoria had signed with the Chinese, because they were considered to be not in the national interest. Also, the Darwin harbour lease to a Chinese company, alluded to by RJ, is currently under close review.
BTW, RJ has said that foreign investments are subject to the laws of the host country and ‘the fear of losing our control over those assets is completely unfounded’. ‘Completely unfounded’? I take a less sanguine view. To me, the SL experience clearly suggests otherwise. Think Hambantota!
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