Chinese Research Ship Visits Sri Lanka Port Amid Security Concerns Expressed By US And India

A Chinese research vessel on Wednesday docked at Colombo port in Sri Lanka, officials informed, amid rising security concerns raised by the US regarding the visit.

Per sources, Sri Lanka had been delaying permitting the vessel’s arrival because of security concerns highlighted by India. However, there has not been any official confirmation on the same.

It was not evident how long the vessel would be docked at the Colombo port.

Shi Yan 6’s arrival followed Ranil Wickremesinghe’s (the President’s) visit to China last week.

In August 2023, Colombo declared that China’s research ship had been scheduled to reach in October for extensive marine research activities with the Sri Lankan National Aquatic Resource Research and Development Agency (abbreviated NARA).

Described as a Research or Survey Vessel with a carrying capacity of about 1,115 DWT, the vessel has been reported to measure about 5.3 meters in length, overall 90.6 meters, and has a width of 17 meters.

In September, the US expressed concerns to Sri Lanka regarding the scheduled visit of the Chinese research vessel to the island country.

Victoria Nuland, the US Under Secretary, who had met with Ali Sabry, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister based in New York on the sidelines of the session of the UN General Assembly, had raised his concerns regarding SHI YAN 6’s visit.

China dispatches surveillance/research vessels to Sri Lanka regularly.

India has been raising concerns over the visits of Chinese vessels to Lanka.

In August 2023, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy war vessel dubbed the HAI YANG 24 HAO reached Sri Lanka on its two-day visit.

It was further reported that the reaching of this 129-meter vessel was delayed owing to some concerns India raised.

In August 2022, a similar visit by China’s ballistic missile and satellite tracking vessel dubbed the Yuan Wang 5, which reached the Sri Lankan port of Hambantota, elicited reactions from India.

There were major apprehensions in New Delhi regarding the possibility of the vessel’s tracking systems trying to snoop on India’s defense installations as it was on its way to the port in Sri Lanka. However, following a significant delay, Sri Lanka permitted the vessel to dock at the country’s strategic port of Hambantota, being developed by a Chinese firm.

The cash-strapped nation Sri Lanka, considers China and India to be equally crucial partners in its task of restructuring external debt. China is among the top lenders to Sri Lanka.

The latter owes a whopping $7.1 billion to the bilateral creditors, including almost $3 billion to China.

The island nation got hit by an unforeseen financial crisis last year, the worst of its kind since independence from Britain back in 1948, owing to a massive paucity of its foreign exchange reserves.

References: Economic Times, First Post

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