Sri Lanka asks China to defer navy ship go to after India protests

Sri Lanka stated on Monday it had requested China to defer the deliberate go to of a Chinese ship to the island nation after initially approving its arrival this week, yielding to diplomatic strain from neighbour India to maintain the navy vessel out.

The Yuan Wang 5 was as a result of arrive on Thursday on the Chinese-built and leased Hambantota port in Sri Lanka’s south for 5 days for replenishment. It is presently crusing within the east Indian Ocean, in line with Refinitiv Eikon.

Foreign safety analysts describe the Yuan Wang 5 as one in every of China’s newest technology space-tracking ships, used to watch satellite tv for pc, rocket and intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

The Pentagon says Yuan Wang ships are operated by the Strategic Support Force of the People’s Liberation Army.

New Delhi fears its greater and extra highly effective rival China will use Hambantota as a navy base in India’s yard. The $1.5 billion port is close to the principle delivery route from Asia to Europe.

Sri Lanka’s overseas ministry stated that on July 12 it had permitted the ship’s arrival for this month.

“Subsequently in light of the need for further consultations, the ministry has communicated to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Colombo to defer the visit of the said vessel to the Hambantota port,” the ministry stated in a press release.

India stated late final month it was monitoring the deliberate go to of the ship, including that New Delhi would defend its safety and financial pursuits. India additionally lodged a verbal protest with the Sri Lankan authorities.

Asked in regards to the controversy over the ship, Chinese overseas ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin advised an everyday information briefing that China’s relations with Sri Lanka had been “not targeted at third parties”.
Relations between India and China have been strained since armed clashes on their Himalayan border two years in the past killed no less than 20 Indian and 4 Chinese troopers.

Both China and India have tried to develop their affect in Sri Lanka, which is going through its worst financial disaster in its impartial historical past, although India has supplied extra assist to it this yr than some other nation.