The Chinese ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship Yuan Wang 5 arrived Tuesday morning at Hambantota port, a crucial deep sea port in southern Sri Lanka. China said the activities of its vessel will not compromise the security of any nation and shouldn’t be “obstructed” by any “third party” – a clear reference to India and its security concerns.
Qi Zhenhong, Beijing’s representative in Sri Lanka, who was present at the port of Hambantota during the Chinese ship’s arrival, responded to a question concerning Delhi’s worries about the ship’s delay by saying, “I don’t know, you should ask the Indian friends… I’m not sure. Perhaps this is life.
Last Saturday, Sri Lanka reversed course and let the Chinese military ship to dock at the Hambantota port from August 16 to 22 after first postponing the visit due to concerns voiced by India.
Several ports in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh may be on China’s radar thanks to the Yuan Wang 5, a potent tracking vessel with an estimated 750 km of aerial range.
SRI LANKA’s STAND:
The development received no official reaction from New Delhi. Prior to the ship’s arrival on Monday, Ranil Wickemesinghe, the president of Sri Lanka, declared that China would not be permitted to utilise the port of Hambantota for military operations.
The Ministry of External Affairs representative had stated last week, before Colombo’s U-turn, that “Sri Lanka is a sovereign country and takes its own independent decisions.”
Featured Image: Wikimedia Commons
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