Will Sri Lanka Turn Pro-China With Marxist-Leaning Dissanayake’s Election? | Taiwan Talks EP465

Sri Lanka has voted in an outsider and a former insurgent as its new president in the first election since the country’s 2022 economic collapse. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of left-leaning JVP party is not from either of Sri Lanka's powerful dynasties, but is said to represent change and fresh hope. Can Dissanayake rescue his country from depleted foreign exchange reserves and a stubbornly high cost of living? And how will he balance ties with regional powers India and China?

Our guests:

Wen-Ti Sung
- Atlantic Council China Hub Non-Resident Fellow

Ronan Fu
- Academia Sinica Institute of Political Science Assistant Research Fellow

[naveenperera]

Sri Lanka is neither pro-Indian nor pro-Chinese, but it consistently aligns with the Global South in its stance against neo-imperialism.

[NDWTI]

Sri Lanka has always been a positionally strategic place for many countries.

[ResanduWanasinghe]

We are a non-aligned country and we are doing it well 🇱🇰❤❤☸️☸️

[sagara]

Under AKD, Sri Lanka will have equal relationship with every nations

[VinceBalaNathan]

Ceylon does not need either India or China!

[samfernando]

Sri Lanka remains an independent country in Southeast Asia. Unlike some puppet governments maneuvered by the west, Sri Lanka follows the non-aligned path. Both India and China are two of our good friends. Sri Lankans are a proud nation. Ours is not a VASSAL country !

[dinuperera-rltc]

Sri Lanka needs not only both countries but also other countries economic and financial and social security assistance but at the same time we must always protect and secure our country's territorial integrity and sovereignty and our economic and financial sovereignty as well as we must save and secure our natural resources and environmental resources too

[calvinang]

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and much much cleaner than India. Congratulations on your recent election and much success.

[MyPhone-mlpd]

We are independent country no one can't touch.
We will back on track with our New president.

[milindapeiris]

I’m from Sri Lanka and I must say the resource personnel in the discussion were so very accurate and have up to date insights to SL politics. Compared to western discussions on the presidential election 2024 this is a very informative discussion.

[hassanrio]

As a Sri Lankan I feel India is a true friend 🇱🇰🇳🇪

[NalakaChaminda-ky]

Sri Lanka very sooner going as high development country coz new president doing great job 👏 😊

[MyPhone-mlpd]

That's qute is right
But no one succeed.
Now with New president we will have real Sri Lanka

[paddynair]

Sri Lankan leaders understand FULL WELL as to what is what😊

[luckydesilva]

I pray for prosperity & harmony & more of equanimity for my Motherland . We desperately need New Young minds .

[eruthayamarythiagarajah]

Very interesting and genuine conversation about Sri Lanka. I enjoyed. Three of you are great!
Look forward to hearing more about Sri Lanka in the future because tremendous change is going to happen which no country is expecting.

[SukryRonde]

That was wonderful analysis about sri lanka

[thtkp]

Everybody wants to take Sri lanka as their playground. British, Portuguese, Dutch, USA, now China and India. 😅😅😅

[roshanpradeep]

Chains is the main reason Sri Lanka on depth giving the loans to most corrupt president of Sri Lanka Mahinda rajapaksha

[AloysiusHettiarachchi]

So, who wants to put the 'Marxist' tag on the new government?. Is this an extension of BBC or WION?.