On Tuesday, Sri Lanka asserted that its “excellent relations” with China remain firmly in place while also explaining that it has postponed a plan for a Chinese research vessel to call at Hambantota port due to the requirement for additional consultations.
The Chinese foreign ministry expressed its displeasure with Colombo’s decision to revoke the permission previously granted to the vessel Yuan Wang 5 to call at Hambantota on Monday and said it was “completely unjustified for certain countries” to use security concerns to pressure Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan side responded by clarifying its position.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) uses the Yuan Wang series, which includes the third-generation vessel Yuan Wang 5, to track satellites and ballistic missiles. The ship, which is outfitted with strong radars and monitoring tools, was initially planned to make a refuelling stop at the Chinese-controlled port of Hambantota on August 11.
The Chinese embassy in Colombo received diplomatic approval on July 12 for the Yuan Wang 5 to call at Hambantota port from August 11–17 for replenishment, according to a statement from Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry.
“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,” it said.
In a statement, Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry reiterated the “enduring friendship and excellent relations between Sri Lanka and China that remain on a solid foundation, as reiterated most recently by the two Foreign Ministers, Ali Sabry and Wang Yi, at a bilateral meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on August 4, 2022.”
Sri Lanka has consistently adhered to the “one-China” policy, which has been a guiding concept in the nation’s foreign policy, as Sabry had mentioned.
The Indian side had expressed its opposition to the ship’s visit to the Sri Lankan government earlier this month. Experts believe the Yuan Wang 5’s surveillance equipment can be used to scan India’s coastal defence facilities. Additionally, the spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs stated in a “clear message” that the government “takes all necessary measures to preserve [India’s] security and economic interests” and “monitors all developments with an impact on them.”
Two Chinese submarines and a navy supply ship landing in Colombo in 2014 caused a diplomatic rift between Sri Lanka and India, and New Delhi vehemently objected to the action. The Chinese navy and its counterpart in Sri Lanka have grown close over time.
