The Chinese factor in the city
Aboard at the Kollupitiya market carries images of different cuts of meat. What is striking is not the English description. They are now in the Chinese language, too. “The Chinese are coming in large numbers, some wealthy and others more economy-minded,” said Mohammad Sajahan (47), a butcher.
His remarks underscore the growing Chinese population in the greater Colombo area. “They are all very good customers. We put up the display board of different cuts because of the language barrier," he said.
“Now they point to what they want and we give them,” added Mr. Sajahan.
U.G. Jayalath (53), who runs what is commonly called a “petti kade” ( a makeshift kiosk) in Kompannaveediya, said, “Most Chinese work at construction sites and come for roti or rolls and tea. Most of them communicate through sign language. Only a few speak English.”
These are two examples among many, as the number of Chinese working in Sri Lanka grows. Whilst some are professionals like engineers and technicians, most are workers. They have been brought to Sri Lanka to work in development projects, mostly the construction sites, thus eliminating the need to use Sri Lankan expertise and labour.
Immigration and Emigration Controller General M.N. Ranasinghe told the Sunday Times the department was awarding resident visas to most Chinese working in government and non-government projects, because their contractor companies say they would work here for four to five years.
“We grant visas according to the requirements of the company. We go through the legal procedure and even workers employed in Board- of- investmentapproved projects are given visas according to the requirements,” he said. “There is more Chinese investment and their construction companies are engaged in long-term infrastructure development projects.”
Mr. Ranasinghe pointed out that, at construction sites, Chinese employees worked under contract and their stay in the country varied from two to four years.
They live in rented houses or rooms, as the government approves them resident visas for the period that the company requests.
“Family members are given visiting visas to come and be with them for a while, but if their children stay with them, we allow them to stay by issuing study visas,” he added.
But this has given rise to another issue -- some Chinese who come on travel visas engage in business, selling largely what the Chinese want, for instance, cooking ingredients.
The Controller General said that although there should be facilities to cater to their needs, those who came on travel visas should not engage in business. “We do not encourage that, but we also see that they do not find most of the items they want in our markets. Therefore, these visitors try to cater to the needs of their people working at construction sites.”
Mr. Ranasinghe said the department often extended visas of the Chinese whether they came on work visas or travel visas, if they wanted to stay longer in Sri Lanka because of health reasons or to visit places of interest. This, the department said, was to promote tourism.
“However if a Chinese national marries a Sri Lankan and settles down in the country, the department will grant that person a residence visa if the spouse agrees.”
The biggest Chinese presence is in Colombo where most of the construction sites and projects are. Their lodgings are found nearby.
To cater to the professionals, several posh restaurants run by Chinese have come up in the city, but most Chinese workers patronise smaller Sri Lankan restaurants and kiosks.
During a stroll along the Kollupitiya stretch of the Galle Road and some bylanes, we observed several Chinese restaurants. After visiting two such restaurants in Kollupitiya, we learned the staff were entirely Chinese and they served food for Chinese nationals. They spoke no English.
The two restaurants were next to each other and both displayed boards in the Chinese language with pictures of Chinese cuisine. The menu cards, the price sheets, and other material were also in Chinese.
When we approached the staff, they showed us the dishes, trying to sell their food.
At the Kollupitiya market complex, we also saw grocery and spice shops run by Chinese. There are three. One shop faces the main road. It sells Chinese herbs, spices, bottled jams, canned fish, and beans. When we walked in, we saw a Chinese national at the cash counter and a Sri Lanka worker. When we sought an interview, they told us to meet the other Chinese vendors in the building.
On the first floor of the building, is a wholesale outlet. Run by Chinese, it resembled a mini supermarket. It sells food products, plastic wear and cleaning items. The girl who was managing the shop refused to talk to us and directed us to go to another shop near the meat stalls. We went there, but the two women in that shop declined to comment.
At the market, we saw Chinese nationals buying fruits from local vendors. We saw a Chinese woman buying durian. They used hand gestures to bargain. Some used their mobile phones to show the pictures of the items they wanted to buy.
A shop owner who had rented three of his shops to Chinese nationals told us that the Chinese shop keepers refrained from talking to Sri Lankans because they feared that government officials would raid their shops.
He said even he did not want to talk to us as income tax or other government officials could hold him accountable for whatever they found during the raid.
In the adjoining Kompannaveediya area, we saw Chinese employees buying food items from bakeries and shops in the morning.
In the evening, they are found at taverns and bars buying beer. Also in the evenings, some are seen on the doorsteps of hotels and at bus stops close to such hotels where free wi-fi is available.
Some 2,000 Chinese work at a construction site opposite Galle Face Green. Around 5.30 am, they are brought to the site in several buses. Most of them are clad in t-shirts and long trousers. Once they enter the gates, they wear safety outfits before they begin work.
At around 5.30 pm, the buses come to take the Chinese to their lodgings.
At the site, a security official said the Chinese workers were given temporary lodging at the Port City site.
He said only a few would come out to buy meals, because the construction company provided free meals, but some workers bought snacks, cool drinks, ice cream and cigarettes from nearby shops.
The security official said that when they wanted to buy something, the Chinese would use hand gestures or draw the picture of what they wanted. Sometimes, Sri Lankan engineers and workers help them to buy what they want. Some, however, have learned a few Sinhala words to communicate with the shopkeepers.
We saw Chinese working at the port city buying goods from shops nearby.
At the Navy’s welfare shop near the Port City site, a petty officer told us that Chinese workers would randomly turn up at the shop to buy items such as biscuits, spicy crackers, Kottumee (Spicy noodles), fruit juice and fizzy drinks.
Apart from the workers, the large Chinese presence in Sri Lanka is also due to the arrival of Chinese tourists. According to tourism industry statistics, more than 250,000 Chinese tourists arrived in Sri Lanka last year, making China the second largest market after India.
The Immigration and Emigration’s Visa and Border Control Chief Chaminda Hettiarachchi said
some Chinese tourists extended their visas because they liked Sri Lanka’s nature sites as they were different from their industrialized cities.
He said Chinese workers at both private and state construction projects were given resident visas as the projects were long- terms ones. Last year, the department issued 255,446 tourist visas to Chinese nationals. Also last year, the department issued 6,229 resident visas to Chinese workers, 1,012 visas for Chinese working at BOI projects, 2,031 work visas for Chinese working on private sector projects and 3,068 work visas for Chinese in state sector projects. In addition, 118 student visas were issued to Chinese students.
Mr. Hettiarachchi said most projects employed Chinese workers because they had the technical expertise and their labour was cheap and this reduced the cost of the project, prompting even the state sector to go for Chinese companies.
He said the department would not allow anyone to overstay their visas, even if they came under the resident visa category. They must leave or seek an extension showing justifiable reasons.
Mr Hettiarachachi said even the children could go to schools in Sri Lanka until their parents’ work visas or resident visas expired.
“The family members of the Chinese workers visit them on travel visas and spend around two months. Many Sri Lankans think that they have permanently settled down in Sri Lanka, but the reality is that only top officials of the company and, in special cases, their children are given residence visas,” he said.