Page 5 - aruba-today-20201029

A5
WORLD NEWS Thursday 29 OcTOber 2020
Pompeo brings anti-China roadshow to Indian Ocean islands

By MATTHEW LEE caught in a "debt trap" as a Cooperation between the Critics like the U.S. say that contributions to regional
AP Diplomatic Writer result, it said. U.S. and the Maldives has the Chinese-funded proj- peace and stability," Wang
MALE, Maldives (AP) — U.S. said. The U.S.-China tug-of-
Secretary of State Mike war plays out against con-
Pompeo on Wednesday cerns that the Sri Lankan
brought the Trump admin- government is backsliding
istration's anti-China cam- on democratic reforms.
paign to two Indian Ocean Last week, Parliament by a
island nations considered large majority approved a
particularly at risk for what constitutional amendment
American officials allege concentrating powers un-
is Chinese exploitation. In der Rajapaksa and revers-
one significant step, Pom- ing efforts a previous gov-
peo announced that the ernment had made to curb
United States would for the authoritarianism.
first time open an embassy With the change, Rajapak-
in the Maldives. sa will be able to hold minis-
Pompeo visited Sri Lanka tries, as well as appoint and
and the Maldives to press sack ministers. He will also
the two countries to be on be the appointing authority
guard against potential of the elections, public ser-
predatory lending and in- vice, police, human rights,
vestment by China. He was bribery or corruption inves-
making the case less than tigation commissions.
a week before the Ameri- In his meeting with Ra-
can election in which Presi- japaska, Pompeo "stressed
dent Donald Trump is seek- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo greets the gathering before his meeting with Sri Lankan the importance of strength-
ing to paint his rival, former President Gotabaya Rajapksa, right, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. ening democratic gov-
Vice President Joe Biden, Associated Press ernance, human rights
as weak on China and be- protections, and of funda-
holden to it. mental freedoms to ensure
Even before Pompeo ar- Gunawardena also ap- "taken on new importance ects are not financially vi- long-term stability and pros-
rived, China had fired back peared unwilling to get as the Chinese Communist able, and that Sri Lanka perity," the State Depart-
at the U.S. message, accus- involved in the spat with Party continues its lawless and the Maldives will face ment said in a statement.
ing Washington of bullying China, and said Sri Lanka is and threatening behavior," difficulties in repaying the Sri Lanka has been ruled
smaller nations. Pompeo, willing to cooperate with all Pompeo said. He accused loans. In 2017, Sri Lanka under a powerful execu-
who will also visit Indonesia, friendly countries. China of encroaching into leased out a Chinese-built tive presidential system
pressed each country to "Sri Lanka is a neutral, non- sovereign economic zones, port located near busy since 1978, but a reform-
push back against increas- aligned country commit- "trashing the environment" shipping routes to a Chi- ist government in 2015
ing Chinese assertiveness in ted to peace," he said. and massive Illegal fishing. nese company for 99 years clipped much of the presi-
the Indo-Pacific. "We hope to continue in "America is different," he to recover from the heavy dent's powers and gave
U.S. officials complain that our relations with the Unit- said. "We respect sover- burden of repaying the them over to Parliament
development and infra- ed States and with other eignty." Chinese loan the country and independent com-
structure projects benefit parties." Earlier this month, The Maldives' foreign minis- received to build it. Re- missions, saying successive
China more than the pre- Beijing announced that it ter, Abdulla Shahid, made sponding to Pompeo's re- presidents had been more
sumed recipients — a re- would provide Sri Lanka no mention of China by marks in Sri Lanka, Chinese authoritarian.
frain Pompeo repeated with a $90 million grant to name but said his country foreign ministry spokesper- Pompeo arrived in Sri Lan-
with Sri Lankan Foreign Min- help rural development, af- needs "more flexibility" in in- son Wang Wenbin said the ka late Tuesday from India,
ister Dinesh Gunawardena. ter Rajapaksa sought help ternational debt relief and secretary of state's true in- where he and Defense
Pompeo said the country from a visiting Chinese del- urgent international con- tention was to "let China Secretary Mark Esper had
could be "a beacon" for egation in disproving a per- sensus on climate change, fall back to an era of pov- stepped up the Trump ad-
freedom and democracy ception that China-funded which he called an existen- erty and undevelopment, ministration's anti-China
in the region as long as it re- megaprojects are "debt tial threat to his nation. He and let the world fall into message by playing on In-
tained its "full sovereignty." traps." Similarly, the Mal- also said that security in the the abyss of confrontation dian suspicions about the
"That is quite a contrast to dives, a tiny archipelago Indo-Pacific depends on and division." Chinese to shore up a re-
what China seeks," Pompeo nation in the Indian Ocean strengthened cooperation "This is just the biggest gional front against Beijing
said. "The Chinese Commu- known for its luxury tour- between the Maldives and threat facing the world to- in the Indo-Pacific.
nist Party is a predator. The ist resorts, is facing major the United States. day. But regrettably, Pom- Just hours before the meet-
United States comes in a debt of more than $1 billion China considers Sri Lanka peo was born in the wrong ings in New Delhi began,
different way. We come as for Chinese infrastructure and, to a lesser extent, the time. The trend of peace, the Trump administration
a friend and a partner." projects. President Ibrahim Maldives to be a critical development, coopera- notified Congress of plans
President Gotabhaya Raja- Mohamed Solih has ex- link in its massive "Belt and tion and win-win in this era for a $2.37 billion sale of
paksa told Pompeo that he pressed concern about the Road" global infrastructure is irresistible," Wang told re- Harpoon missile systems to
is not ready to compromise amount. building initiative and has porters at a daily briefing Taiwan — the second ma-
his country's sovereignty in In a nod to U.S. concerns provided billions of dollars on Wednesday. jor arms sale in two weeks
relations with other nations, about Chinese influence, in loans for projects over the China will "continue to work to the democratic island
the president's office said. Pompeo announced that past decade. The projects with Sri Lanka to unswerv- that Beijing regards as a
He defended Chinese- the U.S. would open an include a seaport, airport, ingly expand the strategic renegade province. Chi-
funded projects, saying Bei- embassy in the Maldives port city, highways and cooperation and part- na angrily reacted to the
jing has helped develop his for the first time since the power stations in Sri Lanka nership between the two first sale by announcing
country's infrastructure and countries established diplo- and roads and bridges in countries, benefit the two sanctions on U.S. defense
that Sri Lanka has not been matic relations in 1966. the Maldives. peoples and make our own contractors.q