Sri Lanka is going through the most challenging economic crisis in history. The political turmoil is also extreme. In the country’s current context, the United States is becoming more active in Sri Lankan-centric geopolitical activities. Julie Chang, the US ambassador to Sri Lanka, is at the forefront of this activism who is determined to bring Sri Lanka back under US influence. Hence, the article contains Julie Chang Determined To Bring Sri Lanka Back Under US Influence.
Amid the ongoing crisis, US activity in Sri Lanka has been steadily increasing. The level of US and Western favoritism on the island has steadily risen since Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed Prime Minister. Washington sees Mr. Ranil, India’s close ally, as a reliable ally in countering China’s influence in Sri Lanka. The first overwhelming support after his appointment as Prime Minister came from Julie Chang, the US ambassador to Sri Lanka.
Following this, Julie Chang remarked that the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister and the initiative to quickly form an inclusive government was the first step toward resolving the crisis and restoring stability. She sees him as the most suitable person to protect US and Western interests in Sri Lanka at the moment.
Political observers believe that the United States could have taken control of much of the Indian Ocean security structure if a conditional agreement had been signed. According to some, it would have paved the way for a US base in Sri Lanka. His feud with former President Maithripala Sirisena and the ensuing constitutional crisis in Sri Lanka is thought to have played a significant role.
Julie Chang took over as US Ambassador to Sri Lanka in February 2022. The crisis in the country was intensifying at that time. Since then, Ms. Julie has been very busy in the country. In the meantime, she has visited many places in Sri Lanka. She is in talks with the government and almost all opposition parties. Even for the first time as a US ambassador, she has spoken to leftist parties in Sri Lanka. Besides, Julie Chang has had discussions with all parties, including local intellectuals, journalists, and people in business.
Julie Chang is currently working to strengthen US soft power (the ability to influence intellectually, culturally, or commercially) in Sri Lanka. United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) support activities in Sri Lanka have intensified since Mr. Vikramasinghe took over. The US ambassador also called for increasing Sri Lanka’s capacity to increase US investment. At the same time, the issue of structural change in the country has also come up in his discussions.
However, Western observers see the situation in Sri Lanka as an opportunity to bring the country out of the Chinese sphere of influence.
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