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Energy deal on agenda

Pallavi Aiyar

Mahinda Rajapaksa to visit China from Monday

Beijing: China's courtship of the strategically located Sri Lanka will continue this week, with President Mahinda Rajapaksa beginning a week-long visit on Monday.

This will be Mr. Rajapaksa's first visit since assuming office in November 2005. China and Sri Lanka are celebrating 2007 as a "Year of Friendship" to mark the golden jubilee of their diplomatic relations.

In recent years, Sri Lanka has been treated to a major Chinese charm offensive, given the fact that Beijing is anxious to increase its influence in the Indian Ocean thereby keeping protected its major oil-supply routes from Africa and West Asia.

When Premier Wen Jiabao visited Colombo in April 2005 he proposed an upgradation of relations to an "all-round cooperative partnership." China is increasingly investing in a number of high-profile infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka including port and bunkering facilities at Hambantota, the Puttalam Coal Power Project, the Norochcholai Power Project and the rail link between Katunayake and Ratmalana.

Direct flights

Soon after Mr. Wen's visit, the first ever direct flights between Colombo and Beijing began in June, pointing to the rapid maturing of the bilateral relationship.

In the aftermath of the devastating tsunami of December 2004, China also committed $19 millions to the reconstruction of fisheries in Sri Lanka, one of Beijing's larger overseas aid donations.

Sri Lanka has expressed its gratefulness by actions such as the recent allocation of an oil exploration block in the Mannar Basin to Beijing.

It is possible that an energy deal will be signed during Mr. Rajapaksa's visit.

Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona was in Beijing recently and announced Colombo's intention of allocating another exploration block to China without it having to undergo the customary bidding process. However, India will also be awarded one such block he said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao will also meet Mr. Rajapaksa on Tuesday. It is likely that the Sri Lankan leader will brief him on the Norway-brokered peace process. China has offered unequivocal support for Colombo in its fight against the LTTE.

A Sri Lanka trade and tourism promotion exhibition will also be held to coincide with the visit. Sri Lanka will present Beijing Zoo a baby elephant called Migara to mark the occasion of the 50th anniversary.

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