A Chinese research ship docked at the Sri Lankan Chinese-built port of Hambantota after a days-long delay, reportedly because of the concerns raised by India.
The Chinese ballistic missile and satellite trafficking ship, Yuan Wang5, arrived on August 16th and will remain docked till August 22.
The research ship was originally scheduled to arrive in Hambantota port, located on the southern tip of the island nation, on August 11th. However, the foreign ministry of Sri Lanka deferred the visit amid concerns raised by India over it. The authorities of Sri Lanka have taken a U-turn and allowed the ship to dock at the port.
Chinese military vessels: Yuan Wang5
It is an extremely powerful vessel whose significant aerial reach appears to be about 750 km. This could also mean that several southern Indian ports could be on Beijing’s radar for now.
According to the Reuters news agency, the latest report by the Pentagon on China’s military stated that the Yuan Wang vessels are operated by the Strategic Support Force of the People’s Liberation Army.
It said that the ship could also be used to track ballistic missiles and rockets if launched. This implies that the vessel is in a position to calculate the range and accuracy of the Indian ballistic missiles if launched.
Hambantota Port
New Delhi has been focused on this port since it was leased to China Merchant Port Holdings for 99 years in 2017. This led to constant worry about its use for military purposes.
Previously too, India had taken a firm opinion on the presence of Chinese military vessels in the Indian Ocean and had been vocal about the matter with Sri Lanka.
Although there was no official response from India concerning the recent developments, on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, “I want to stress again that the marine scientific research activities of the Yuan Wang 5 are consistent with international law and international common practice,” referring to the concerns raised by India and the US over the vessel.
“They do not affect the security and the economic interests of any country and should not be obstructed by any third party,” he added.
China has been a prominent creditor of Sri Lanka concerning infrastructure development. Alternately, India has been an essential supply lifeline in the ongoing economic collapse of the island nation.