The old Roman political maxim of divide and rule is still in effect in Asia in dealings with the Church. Or so asserts Orlando Woods, a social scientist. In a 2022 article, Woods notes that Sri Lankan Catholics, a well-established minority advocacy group, have been protesting since a secret deal was made in 2010 with China to construct a new Colombo Financial City in the nation’s capital. 

This project, funded by the Chinese government, will construct luxury flats and hotels, among other benefits for the wealthy, but also destroy the livelihoods of a local Catholic community of impoverished fishing families. The result will measure 269 hectares or roughly the size of central London and will take over 25 years to complete.