India’s Diplomatic Move: Sri Lanka Asks China to Defer Military Ship Visit
New Delhi: After the pressure from the government of India on Sri Lanka, the current authority in Sri Lanka asked China to defer a military ship visit to the island country. Sri Lanka said on Monday it had asked China to defer the planned visit of a Chinese ship to the island country after initially approving its arrival this week, yielding to diplomatic pressure from neighbor India to keep the military vessel out.
India said late last month it was monitoring the planned visit of the ship, adding that New Delhi would protect its security and economic interests. India also lodged a verbal protest with the Sri Lankan government.
Both China and India have tried to expand their influence in Sri Lanka, which is facing the worst economic crisis in its independent history, though India has provided more help to it this year than any other nation.
According to the media report, The Yuan Wang 5 was due to arrive on Thursday at the Chinese-built and leased Hambantota port in Sri Lanka’s south for five days for replenishment. It is currently sailing in the east Indian Ocean.
On Yuan Wang ships, the pentagon says, Yuan Wang ships are operated by the Strategic Support Force of the People’s Liberation Army. the Yuan Wang 5 is one of China’s latest generation space-tracking ships, used to monitor satellite, rocket, and intercontinental ballistic missile launches.
New Delhi thinks that its bigger and more powerful rival China will use Hambantota as a military base in India’s backyard. The $1.5 billion port is near the main shipping route from Asia to Europe.
(Vinayak)
