New Delhi: Days after India raised objections to a Chinese dual-use spy vessel, Yuan Wang 5, arriving at Hambantota port on August 11 and stay there until August 17; Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry has written to the Chinese embassy in Colombo requesting that the “arrival date” be “deferred” until “further consultations” are made.
In a letter to the Chinese embassy, the Sri Lankan foreign ministry wrote, “The ministry wishes to request that the arrival date of the vessel YUAN WANG 5 in Hambantota to be deferred until further consultations are made on this matter.”
The Indian External Affairs Ministry last week had said that it closely monitoring developments and see if this would have “any bearing on India’s security and economic interests and take all necessary steps to safeguard them”.
The clearances for the visit were given on July 12, 2022 for the third-generation spy vessel designed by China’s 708 Research Institute as part of the Yuan Wang series.
The decision by Colombo comes days after the matter was by India with the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration. The visit by the Chinese ship for supplies and refuelling comes at a time when the island nation has been suffering the worst economic crisis and the one country that has stood by Colombo is India. China’s help to Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has not been regular and consistent.
Keeping the sensitivity of the situation in mind, the Sri Lankan foreign ministry however added, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of People’s Republic of China in Colombo, the assurances of its highest consideration.”
