Thailand has cut electricity supplies to a Myanmar border township home to a billion-dollar Chinese-backed development that analysts say is a front for illegal gambling and online scam operations.

Thai authorities halted the power to Shwe Kokko in Myanmar's Karen state from midnight Monday-Tuesday, police chief of Maesod district Monsak Kaew-on told AFP.

The electricity was cut after a contract for the Thai side to supply the town ended without the Myanmar junta renewing it, he added.

Many areas along Myanmar's lawless eastern border are awash with Chinese investment, including in casinos, mines and logging.

The sprawling Shwe Kokko complex houses hotels and casinos targeting Chinese customers and is run by the Border Guard Force (BGF), a military-aligned ethnic militia.

A spokesman for the BGF could not be reached for comment by AFP.

Shwe Kokko's main backer is a Chinese national named She Zhijiang, according to a 2020 report by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).

His Hong Kong-registered company Yatai has portrayed the $15 billion project as part of Beijing's "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative, but the Chinese government has denied any link.

The project was characterised by land-grabbing and an influx of Chinese nationals fleeing a crackdown on organised crime in Cambodia, according to the USIP report. These groups later set up casinos and money-laundering institutions, it said.&nbsp;

In August last year Thai authorities detained She for allegedly running an illegal online casino.

He had been on the run from Chinese authorities since 2012, according to Chinese media.

Myanmar's junta has not commented on the cutting of electricity to the town.

Power outages are common in Myanmar due to a creaky and outdated electricity grid, with demand regularly outstripping supply during the sweltering summer months.

On May 31 the junta-appointed home minister met China's ambassador to Myanmar, state media reported.

They discussed "online fraud and gambling on the Myanmar-China and Myanmar-Thailand borders", and "enhancement of cooperation in the fight against transnational crimes", according to the Global New Light of Myanmar.

Karen state has been riven by conflict since Myanmar gained independence from Britain in 1948, with ethnic rebels fighting the military and each other. 
 
&nbsp;

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Thailand has cut electricity supplies to a Myanmar border township home to a billion-dollar Chinese-backed development that analysts say is a front for illegal gambling and online scam operations.

Thailand has cut electricity supplies to a Myanmar border township home to a billion-dollar Chinese-backed development that analysts say is a front for illegal gambling and online scam operations. Thai authorities halted the power to Shwe Kokko in Myanmar's Karen state from midnight Monday-Tuesday, police chief of Maesod district Monsak Kaew-on told AFP. The electricity was cut after a contract for the Thai side to supply the town ended without the Myanmar junta renewing it, he added. Many areas along Myanmar's lawless eastern border are awash with Chinese investment, including in casinos, mines and logging. The sprawling Shwe Kokko complex houses hotels and casinos targeting Chinese customers and is run by the Border Guard Force (BGF), a military-aligned ethnic militia. A spokesman for the BGF could not be reached for comment by AFP. Shwe Kokko's main backer is a Chinese national named She Zhijiang, according to a 2020 report by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). His Hong Kong-registered company Yatai has portrayed the $15 billion project as part of Beijing's "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative, but the Chinese government has denied any link. The project was characterised by land-grabbing and an influx of Chinese nationals fleeing a crackdown on organised crime in Cambodia, according to the USIP report. These groups later set up casinos and money-laundering institutions, it said. In August last year Thai authorities detained She for allegedly running an illegal online casino. He had been on the run from Chinese authorities since 2012, according to Chinese media. Myanmar's junta has not commented on the cutting of electricity to the town. Power outages are common in Myanmar due to a creaky and outdated electricity grid, with demand regularly outstripping supply during the sweltering summer months. On May 31 the junta-appointed home minister met China's ambassador to Myanmar, state media reported. They discussed "online fraud and gambling on the Myanmar-China and Myanmar-Thailand borders", and "enhancement of cooperation in the fight against transnational crimes", according to the Global New Light of Myanmar. Karen state has been riven by conflict since Myanmar gained independence from Britain in 1948, with ethnic rebels fighting the military and each other. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Thailand cuts power to Chinese-backed den of illegal gambling, online scams in Myanmar

Citing TikTok as a 'high risk' security concern, the Joe Biden administration in the US has demanded that the Chinese owner of the app sell their stake or risk getting banned, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The ByteDance-owned platform has been approached by&nbsp;Committee on Foreign Investment in the US or CFIUS and asked for divestment over national security concerns.&nbsp;

The Democrats taking such a stern stance has surprised many. After former president&nbsp;Donald Trump went after TikTok rather aggressively in the last essay of his tenure, the Biden administration took a tepid approach, allowing the matter to play itself out.&nbsp;

However, over the last few months, increased concerns from US officials as well as politicians have forced Biden to tighten the noose.&nbsp;TikTok has more than 100 million users in the US alone and if a sweeping ban is imposed, the Chinese company could be staring at a bleak future.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-banned-on-all-federal-government-devices-in-the-us-548235">ALSO READ |&nbsp;TikTok banned on all federal government devices in the US</a>

"If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn't solve the problem: a change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access,"&nbsp;TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter was quoted as saying by Reuters.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The decision comes in the backdrop of the White House coming out in support of a bipartisan legislation to ban TikTok last week. There has been no breakthrough between TikTok and Biden administration despite two years of negotiation over a&nbsp;data security agreement.&nbsp;

CFIUS, in 2020 unanimously recommended that ByteDance divest TikTok.&nbsp;

Last year in December,&nbsp;&nbsp;the Chinese short-video app was banned from all federal government devices across the country. The only exception was for law enforcement and national security agencies who could use the app in special cases for&nbsp;security research purposes.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tiktok-says-disappointed-over-the-ban-in-us-545332">WATCH |&nbsp;TikTok says 'disappointed over the ban' in US</a>

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also warned against data leaks through the app. Director Christopher Wray informed the&nbsp;House panel that potential Chinese government access to users’ data or software through the app is reason to be “extremely concerned”.

During his reign, Trump attempted to ban TikTok but was stopped in the tracks by the US courts.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Citing TikTok as a 'high risk' security concern, the Joe Biden administration in the US has demanded that the Chinese owner of the app sell their stake or risk getting banned, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Citing TikTok as a 'high risk' security concern, the Joe Biden administration in the US has demanded that the Chinese owner of the app sell their stake or risk getting banned, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The ByteDance-owned platform has been approached by Committee on Foreign Investment in the US or CFIUS and asked for divestment over national security concerns. The Democrats taking such a stern stance has surprised many. After former president Donald Trump went after TikTok rather aggressively in the last essay of his tenure, the Biden administration took a tepid approach, allowing the matter to play itself out. However, over the last few months, increased concerns from US officials as well as politicians have forced Biden to tighten the noose. TikTok has more than 100 million users in the US alone and if a sweeping ban is imposed, the Chinese company could be staring at a bleak future. ALSO READ | TikTok banned on all federal government devices in the US "If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn't solve the problem: a change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access," TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter was quoted as saying by Reuters. The decision comes in the backdrop of the White House coming out in support of a bipartisan legislation to ban TikTok last week. There has been no breakthrough between TikTok and Biden administration despite two years of negotiation over a data security agreement. CFIUS, in 2020 unanimously recommended that ByteDance divest TikTok. Last year in December, the Chinese short-video app was banned from all federal government devices across the country. The only exception was for law enforcement and national security agencies who could use the app in special cases for security research purposes. WATCH | TikTok says 'disappointed over the ban' in US × The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also warned against data leaks through the app. Director Christopher Wray informed the House panel that potential Chinese government access to users’ data or software through the app is reason to be “extremely concerned”. During his reign, Trump attempted to ban TikTok but was stopped in the tracks by the US courts. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Biden administration pressures TikTok's Chinese owners to sell stakes, threatens complete ban

To what extent China is responsible for the economic crisis in Sri Lanka? Bill Burns, who is the chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), on Wednesday (July 20) blamed the "dumb bets" made by the South Asian nation Sri Lanka on China for the ongoing economic crisis.&nbsp;

In the past few months, Sri Lanka suffered through food and fuel shortages, lengthy blackouts and galloping inflation as the nation ran out of foreign currency to import vital goods.&nbsp;

Now, Burns said that high-debt Chinese investment by Sri Lanka's leaders was one of the major factors that led to the South Asian country's economic collapse. He noted that the Chinese have a lot of weight to throw around and they can make a very appealing case for their investments.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/former-india-pm-lal-bahadur-shastris-family-demands-fresh-probe-into-his-death-499233">Former India pm Lal Bahadur Shastri's family demands fresh probe into his death</a>&nbsp;

As quoted by news agency AFP, Burns told the Aspen Security Forum that all the countries should look at "object lessons of a place like Sri Lanka today - heavily indebted to China - which has made some really dumb bets about their economic future and are suffering pretty catastrophic, both economic and political consequences as a result."&nbsp;

He added, "That, I think, ought to be an object lesson to a lot of other players - not just in the Middle East or South Asia, but around the world - about having your eyes wide open about those kinds of dealings."&nbsp;

Not the just chief of the US intelligence agency, many experts have said that China's debt trap diplomacy has become a major cause of Sri Lanka's unprecedented economic crisis.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-asks-countries-to-cut-gas-use-to-tackle-russian-blackmail-499302">EU asks countries to cut gas use to tackle Russian 'blackmail'</a>

China has invested heavily in Sri Lanka and worked closely with former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. A report by The Washington Post highlighted that Beijing has been Sri Lanka's biggest creditor.&nbsp;

The credit accounts for some 10 per cent of the country's foreign debt. The communist nation between 2000 and 2020, moreover extended it to close to USD 12 billion in loans to the Sri Lankan government.&nbsp;

Reports have mentioned that in 2017, Sri Lanka was unable to repay a $1.4 billion loan for port construction. It was forced to lease out the facility to a Chinese company for 99 years.&nbsp;

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To what extent China is responsible for the economic crisis in Sri Lanka? Bill Burns, who is the chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), on Wednesday (July 20) blamed the "dumb bets" made by the South Asian nation Sri Lanka on China for the ongoing economic crisis.

To what extent China is responsible for the economic crisis in Sri Lanka? Bill Burns, who is the chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), on Wednesday (July 20) blamed the "dumb bets" made by the South Asian nation Sri Lanka on China for the ongoing economic crisis. In the past few months, Sri Lanka suffered through food and fuel shortages, lengthy blackouts and galloping inflation as the nation ran out of foreign currency to import vital goods. Now, Burns said that high-debt Chinese investment by Sri Lanka's leaders was one of the major factors that led to the South Asian country's economic collapse. He noted that the Chinese have a lot of weight to throw around and they can make a very appealing case for their investments. ALSO READ | Former India pm Lal Bahadur Shastri's family demands fresh probe into his death As quoted by news agency AFP, Burns told the Aspen Security Forum that all the countries should look at "object lessons of a place like Sri Lanka today - heavily indebted to China - which has made some really dumb bets about their economic future and are suffering pretty catastrophic, both economic and political consequences as a result." He added, "That, I think, ought to be an object lesson to a lot of other players - not just in the Middle East or South Asia, but around the world - about having your eyes wide open about those kinds of dealings." Not the just chief of the US intelligence agency, many experts have said that China's debt trap diplomacy has become a major cause of Sri Lanka's unprecedented economic crisis. ALSO READ | EU asks countries to cut gas use to tackle Russian 'blackmail' China has invested heavily in Sri Lanka and worked closely with former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. A report by The Washington Post highlighted that Beijing has been Sri Lanka's biggest creditor. The credit accounts for some 10 per cent of the country's foreign debt. The communist nation between 2000 and 2020, moreover extended it to close to USD 12 billion in loans to the Sri Lankan government. Reports have mentioned that in 2017, Sri Lanka was unable to repay a $1.4 billion loan for port construction. It was forced to lease out the facility to a Chinese company for 99 years. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

CIA chief Bill Burns says Sri Lanka made 'dumb bets' on heavy Chinese investment

The well in the retired couple’s yard, their only source of clean water, began to dry up two years ago. Last year, dead fish started washing up on the banks of the river that runs by their home in a bucolic village in southeastern Serbia.

But most disturbing of all for Verica Zivkovic and her husband, Miroslav, are the ever-widening cracks in the walls of the house they built after moving to the countryside more than a decade ago to raise goats.

“We came here for the peace and quiet,” said Zivkovic, 62, but that all changed when a Chinese company arrived.

In 2018, the company, Zijin Mining Group, took control of a money-losing copper smelter in the nearby city of Bor and began blasting away in the nearby hills in search of copper and gold.

While the couple and many other locals bemoan the arrival of the miners, the Serbian government has enthusiastically welcomed Chinese companies like Zijin, despite their record of flouting environmental rules. Many of the companies bring in workers from China rather than hiring Serbs, and critics say some are helping Serbia’s government roll back democratic freedoms.

When Zijin purchased the previously state-owned smelter, after a different Chinese company bought an ailing steel plant near the capital, Belgrade, Serbia’s president, Alexander Vucic, hailed Chinese investors as his country’s saviors.

Chinese money had kept afloat two of Serbia’s biggest but badly listing manufacturing enterprises, saving more than 10,000 jobs and fortifying what the two countries describe as their “friendship of steel.”

For others, however, this friendship highlights the peril of transferring to Europe an approach to investment and its impact on locals that Chinese companies have employed in poorer regions of the world.

“China is operating in Serbia the same way it did in Africa — it has the same strategy,” said Dragan Djilas, a businessman and former Belgrade mayor who now leads Serbia’s biggest opposition party.

The linchpin of that strategy around the world has been to establish close relations with a local strongman — in Serbia’s case, Vucic, democratically elected but increasingly authoritarian in his ways.

Vucic has become perhaps China’s biggest cheerleader in Europe. He has brushed aside complaints about its business practices and declared China, which has not only invested hundreds of millions of dollars but also provided millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines, to be “the only ones who can help us.”

China’s leader, Xi Jinping, is “not only a dear friend but a brother,” Vucic said last year.

The love-in between the elected leader of Serbia, which aspires to join the European Union and claims to share its democratic values, and Xi, leader of one of the world’s most repressive countries, has dismayed Serbians who want to join Europe, not tilt eastward.

By offering big loans, vaccines and investment free of the constraints that would be imposed by the European bloc, China has helped Vucic deliver on promises to develop Serbia’s economy.

But, said Marinika Tepic, a prominent opposition politician, it is also helping “to build a police state.”

That exaggerates Vucic’s grip, but U.S.-based pro-democracy group Freedom House downgraded Serbia in 2019 from “free” to “partly free,” citing a tightening grip on politics, civil liberties and the media.

In January, 26 members of the European Parliament demanded a review of the “growing impact of China’s economic footprint in Serbia,” including “reckless projects with potentially devastating multiple impacts on the wider environment as well as surrounding population.”

Pollution from the Bor plant skyrocketed to many times the legally permitted level in 2019 and 2020, setting off a series of street protests and prompting Zijin Mining’s general manager in Serbia to tell his managers in October that he was “very dissatisfied” with the “frightening” level of pollution, according to leaked minutes of the meeting.

He blamed the bad publicity, which he said had damaged “the government of the People’s Republic of China,” on “people who are in favour of the West and receive support” who “have stood in opposition to our work.”

Bor’s mayor, Aleksandar Milikic, a Vucic loyalist, initially dismissed the protests as the work of political agitators.

But, apparently worried about losing votes, he announced last year that he would file a court case against Zijin for negligence. It is not clear whether he actually did so. The mayor declined to be interviewed, and Zijin Mining did not respond to requests for comment.

Milenko Jovanovic, an air pollution expert, said he was fired in November from Serbia’s Environmental Protection Agency after raising concerns about dangerously high levels of sulfur dioxide and arsenic in the air around Bor.

The government, he said, rejected anything that might upset China and its investors.

“It lets them do whatever they want to do,” he said.

A court in Belgrade ruled this month that Jovanovic had been unfairly dismissed and ordered that he be given his job back.

Activists concede that air pollution levels in Bor have fallen since protests but say that the main danger has now shifted to towns and villages to the south, where hundreds of Chinese workers brought in by Zijin are developing one of the world’s biggest unexploited copper deposits, and digging for gold.

The earth around the new mine trembles from blasting work, and the heavy trucks, driven by Chinese workers, rumble along roads adorned with China’s red national flag. Rivers and streams are discoloured by effluent.

The government has added to public anger by issuing expropriation orders so that Zijin can build access roads and expand its mine. Dragan Viacic, a farmer, said he had received a letter from Serbia’s finance ministry informing him that he must sell 13 acres of his land at a fraction of the market price.

“They said this was necessary in the public interest, but in reality this is just the interest of the Chinese,” he said.

In Metovnica, a village near the mine, Zivkovic and his wife used to have 25 goats but, with no clean water on hand after their well dried up, they now keep just one.

“Why don’t we have any water anymore? Why are there no fish in the river?” The answer, he said, is Zijin Mining Group.

Pointing to fissures radiating across the wall of his house that appeared last year after Chinese miners started using explosives, Zivkovic said, “It was a tiny crack at first, but then it spread.”

The well in the retired couple’s yard, their only source of clean water, began to dry up two years ago. Last year, dead fish started washing up on the banks of the river that runs by their home in a bucolic village in southeastern Serbia.

The well in the retired couple’s yard, their only source of clean water, began to dry up two years ago. Last year, dead fish started washing up on the banks of the river that runs by their home in a bucolic village in southeastern Serbia. But most disturbing of all for Verica Zivkovic and her husband, Miroslav, are the ever-widening cracks in the walls of the house they built after moving to the countryside more than a decade ago to raise goats. “We came here for the peace and quiet,” said Zivkovic, 62, but that all changed when a Chinese company arrived. In 2018, the company, Zijin Mining Group, took control of a money-losing copper smelter in the nearby city of Bor and began blasting away in the nearby hills in search of copper and gold. While the couple and many other locals bemoan the arrival of the miners, the Serbian government has enthusiastically welcomed Chinese companies like Zijin, despite their record of flouting environmental rules. Many of the companies bring in workers from China rather than hiring Serbs, and critics say some are helping Serbia’s government roll back democratic freedoms. When Zijin purchased the previously state-owned smelter, after a different Chinese company bought an ailing steel plant near the capital, Belgrade, Serbia’s president, Alexander Vucic, hailed Chinese investors as his country’s saviors. Chinese money had kept afloat two of Serbia’s biggest but badly listing manufacturing enterprises, saving more than 10,000 jobs and fortifying what the two countries describe as their “friendship of steel.” For others, however, this friendship highlights the peril of transferring to Europe an approach to investment and its impact on locals that Chinese companies have employed in poorer regions of the world. “China is operating in Serbia the same way it did in Africa — it has the same strategy,” said Dragan Djilas, a businessman and former Belgrade mayor who now leads Serbia’s biggest opposition party. The linchpin of that strategy around the world has been to establish close relations with a local strongman — in Serbia’s case, Vucic, democratically elected but increasingly authoritarian in his ways. Vucic has become perhaps China’s biggest cheerleader in Europe. He has brushed aside complaints about its business practices and declared China, which has not only invested hundreds of millions of dollars but also provided millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines, to be “the only ones who can help us.” China’s leader, Xi Jinping, is “not only a dear friend but a brother,” Vucic said last year. The love-in between the elected leader of Serbia, which aspires to join the European Union and claims to share its democratic values, and Xi, leader of one of the world’s most repressive countries, has dismayed Serbians who want to join Europe, not tilt eastward. By offering big loans, vaccines and investment free of the constraints that would be imposed by the European bloc, China has helped Vucic deliver on promises to develop Serbia’s economy. But, said Marinika Tepic, a prominent opposition politician, it is also helping “to build a police state.” That exaggerates Vucic’s grip, but U.S.-based pro-democracy group Freedom House downgraded Serbia in 2019 from “free” to “partly free,” citing a tightening grip on politics, civil liberties and the media. In January, 26 members of the European Parliament demanded a review of the “growing impact of China’s economic footprint in Serbia,” including “reckless projects with potentially devastating multiple impacts on the wider environment as well as surrounding population.” Pollution from the Bor plant skyrocketed to many times the legally permitted level in 2019 and 2020, setting off a series of street protests and prompting Zijin Mining’s general manager in Serbia to tell his managers in October that he was “very dissatisfied” with the “frightening” level of pollution, according to leaked minutes of the meeting. He blamed the bad publicity, which he said had damaged “the government of the People’s Republic of China,” on “people who are in favour of the West and receive support” who “have stood in opposition to our work.” Bor’s mayor, Aleksandar Milikic, a Vucic loyalist, initially dismissed the protests as the work of political agitators. But, apparently worried about losing votes, he announced last year that he would file a court case against Zijin for negligence. It is not clear whether he actually did so. The mayor declined to be interviewed, and Zijin Mining did not respond to requests for comment. Milenko Jovanovic, an air pollution expert, said he was fired in November from Serbia’s Environmental Protection Agency after raising concerns about dangerously high levels of sulfur dioxide and arsenic in the air around Bor. The government, he said, rejected anything that might upset China and its investors. “It lets them do whatever they want to do,” he said. A court in Belgrade ruled this month that Jovanovic had been unfairly dismissed and ordered that he be given his job back. Activists concede that air pollution levels in Bor have fallen since protests but say that the main danger has now shifted to towns and villages to the south, where hundreds of Chinese workers brought in by Zijin are developing one of the world’s biggest unexploited copper deposits, and digging for gold. The earth around the new mine trembles from blasting work, and the heavy trucks, driven by Chinese workers, rumble along roads adorned with China’s red national flag. Rivers and streams are discoloured by effluent. The government has added to public anger by issuing expropriation orders so that Zijin can build access roads and expand its mine. Dragan Viacic, a farmer, said he had received a letter from Serbia’s finance ministry informing him that he must sell 13 acres of his land at a fraction of the market price. “They said this was necessary in the public interest, but in reality this is just the interest of the Chinese,” he said. In Metovnica, a village near the mine, Zivkovic and his wife used to have 25 goats but, with no clean water on hand after their well dried up, they now keep just one. “Why don’t we have any water anymore? Why are there no fish in the river?” The answer, he said, is Zijin Mining Group. Pointing to fissures radiating across the wall of his house that appeared last year after Chinese miners started using explosives, Zivkovic said, “It was a tiny crack at first, but then it spread.”

Serbia hails Chinese companies as saviours, but locals chafe at costs

In recent years, China has cultivated a wide variety of political allies in Sri Lanka.

In a video conference organised by China in June, various representatives of Sri Lanka's major political parties participated&nbsp;such as&nbsp;People's Front, United National Party, Sri Lanka Freedom Party and People's United Front of Sri Lanka.

On the face of it, the&nbsp;meeting was to discuss the coronavirus&nbsp;outbreak and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, one report stated that China was using this opportunity to cultivate a "bipartisan bond".

Allegedly, China has commissioned local pollsters to gauge voter sentiment, because China has invested billions of dollars in it.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-using-buddhist-clergy-and-leaders-to-compromise-sri-lanka-elections-317068">Also read|&nbsp;China using Buddhist clergy and leaders to compromise Sri Lanka elections</a>

Sri Lanka has an external debt of $55 billion, and China accounts for 10 per cent of that debt. Until last year, it has invested $11 billion into Sri Lanka, out of which $8&nbsp;billion was just for the BRI. These investments in Sri Lanka are rapidly growing.

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In northern Sri Lanka, China has begun investing in rubber and team coconut cultivation. Both governments are reportedly discussing investment worth $30-40 million in the plantation industry.

Chinese money is now reaching the grassroots of the Sri Lankan economy, and other investing countries are losing their opportunities. The Quad nations such as the US, Japan and India haven't been able to get their projects off the ground.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-tried-to-steal-vaccine-research-from-us-university-investigators-316899">Also read|&nbsp;China tried to steal vaccine research from US university: Investigators</a>

Within months, the Sri Lankan government has sent mixed signals over two multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects.The first being the elevated light railway system which was to be built by Japan. It was supposed to pass through parts of greater Colombo. However, the Sri Lankan government has put this project on hold.

The second project is the Colombo port project under which an expanded container terminal was to be built by Japan and India in partnership&nbsp;with Sri Lanka getting the majority ownership. However, the&nbsp;project has still not received a green light from the local government who&nbsp;apparently&nbsp;are hoping for a better deal.

Around 30 trade unions and employees of the Sri Lankan ports authority had gone on strike over the&nbsp;dea demanding the deal to be scrapped. However, the&nbsp;strike was called off.

Interestingly, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority is General R. M. Daya Ratnayake, a man appointed by the President and&nbsp;someone who has served as a post-war army chief.

The US, too, is facing something similar. American government&nbsp;offered a $480 million grant to Sri Lanka, which could be refused by the Sri Lankan government. Mahinda Rajapaksa had opposed the grant from America while his party was in opposition.

A committee was set up to look into it, who opposed the agreement, in their report to the President.

The Rajapaksas reportedly left the decision to his cabinet. Now, with the elections soon approaching, the views of the&nbsp;cabinet won't matter.

So, while India, Japan and the US are still unsure about their projects, China is the only country that has had all its projects approved in Sri Lanka.

In recent years, China has cultivated a wide variety of political allies in Sri Lanka. In a video conference organised by China in June, various representatives of Sri Lanka's major political parties participated such as People's Front, United National Party, Sri Lanka Freedom Party and People's United Front of Sri Lanka.

In recent years, China has cultivated a wide variety of political allies in Sri Lanka. In a video conference organised by China in June, various representatives of Sri Lanka's major political parties participated such as People's Front, United National Party, Sri Lanka Freedom Party and People's United Front of Sri Lanka. On the face of it, the meeting was to discuss the coronavirus outbreak and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, one report stated that China was using this opportunity to cultivate a "bipartisan bond". Allegedly, China has commissioned local pollsters to gauge voter sentiment, because China has invested billions of dollars in it. Also read| China using Buddhist clergy and leaders to compromise Sri Lanka elections Sri Lanka has an external debt of $55 billion, and China accounts for 10 per cent of that debt. Until last year, it has invested $11 billion into Sri Lanka, out of which $8 billion was just for the BRI. These investments in Sri Lanka are rapidly growing. × In northern Sri Lanka, China has begun investing in rubber and team coconut cultivation. Both governments are reportedly discussing investment worth $30-40 million in the plantation industry. Chinese money is now reaching the grassroots of the Sri Lankan economy, and other investing countries are losing their opportunities. The Quad nations such as the US, Japan and India haven't been able to get their projects off the ground. Also read| China tried to steal vaccine research from US university: Investigators Within months, the Sri Lankan government has sent mixed signals over two multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects.The first being the elevated light railway system which was to be built by Japan. It was supposed to pass through parts of greater Colombo. However, the Sri Lankan government has put this project on hold. The second project is the Colombo port project under which an expanded container terminal was to be built by Japan and India in partnership with Sri Lanka getting the majority ownership. However, the project has still not received a green light from the local government who apparently are hoping for a better deal. Around 30 trade unions and employees of the Sri Lankan ports authority had gone on strike over the dea demanding the deal to be scrapped. However, the strike was called off. Interestingly, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority is General R. M. Daya Ratnayake, a man appointed by the President and someone who has served as a post-war army chief. The US, too, is facing something similar. American government offered a $480 million grant to Sri Lanka, which could be refused by the Sri Lankan government. Mahinda Rajapaksa had opposed the grant from America while his party was in opposition. A committee was set up to look into it, who opposed the agreement, in their report to the President. The Rajapaksas reportedly left the decision to his cabinet. Now, with the elections soon approaching, the views of the cabinet won't matter. So, while India, Japan and the US are still unsure about their projects, China is the only country that has had all its projects approved in Sri Lanka.

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