China's wartime bonded warehouses in Sri Lanka played a decisive role

Bonded warehouses established by China in Sri Lanka during the final phase of the conflict enabled immediate access to military supplies and played a decisive role in the country’s war effort.

Admiral Professor Jayanath Colombage, former Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, said Beijing went to the extent of setting up bonded warehouses at the ports of Colombo and Galle during the critical 2006 to 2009 period.

"That meant we could go there with a letter of authorisation from the Ministry of Defence. It was like carrying a shopping list, going to a weapons supermarket. You collect what you want, use it, and pay later," Colombage said.

He noted that these warehouses were stocked with a wide range of military supplies brought in advance by China, allowing Sri Lanka to immediately obtain what was required for operations.

"I don’t know whether any other country has done something like this in another country, but they brought all the items to the warehouse and we went and collected them," he said.

Colombage emphasised that China’s military support became crucial in the final years of the conflict, describing it as "paramount" in achieving victory in what he referred to as the 30-year war.