A high-tech Chinese research ship that was supposed to dock at Sri Lanka's southern port of Hambantota has not berthed as planned, the country's ports authority said on Friday, days after India expressed security concerns over its presence in the island nation.
Sri Lanka's port authorities said on Friday that a high-tech Chinese research ship that was scheduled to arrive at Sri Lanka's southern port of Hambantota has not berthed as anticipated, days after India voiced security concerns about its presence in the island nation.
The Chinese ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship 'Yuan Wang 5' was scheduled to dock on Thursday and stay in port for refuelling until August 17. The ship failed not to arrive at the port as scheduled, according to the harbour master of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). According to local authorities, the ship is 600 nautical miles east of Hambantota and is waiting for permission to dock.
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The vessel's mooring at the Hambantota Port received approval from Sri Lanka's foreign ministry on July 12. The ministry asked the Chinese Embassy in Colombo to postpone the ship's scheduled docking in a letter on August 8th. However, it did not state why such a request was being made.
'Yuan Wang 5' had already entered the Indian Ocean by that time. Sri Lanka's request for postponement came after the Indian government had raised strong objections to the visit, citing security concerns.
The Hambantota port is managed by a Chinese corporation, according to the SLPA, but it is in charge of handling navigational and operational difficulties.
The administration was criticised by Sri Lanka's opposition political parties for how it handled the docking of the Chinese ship.
The five-party faction of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party demanded that the ship be permitted to visit Hambantota in a unified statement.
Due to its position, the southern deep-sea port of Hambantota is regarded as strategically significant. Chinese financing was mostly used to develop the port. According to India, it carefully monitors every development that could have an impact on its economic and security interests.
"We are aware of reports of a proposed visit by this vessel to Hambantota in August," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said in New Delhi when asked about the reports of a proposed visit by a Chinese vessel.
"The government carefully monitors any development having a bearing on India's security and economic interests and takes all necessary measures to safeguard them," he said last month.
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The likelihood of the ship's tracking systems trying to snoop on Indian sites while travelling to the Sri Lankan port worries New Delhi. India has historically viewed Chinese military warships in the Indian Ocean with scepticism and has previously objected to such engagements with Sri Lanka.
After Colombo allowed a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine to dock in one of its ports in 2014, relations between India and Sri Lanka deteriorated. India is particularly worried about the port of Hambantota.
After Sri Lanka failed to meet its debt repayment obligations, Colombo leased the southern port to China Merchant Port Holdings for 99 years, raising concerns about the port's potential use for military purposes.
On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was "completely unjustified for certain countries to cite the so-called 'security concerns' to pressure Sri Lanka."
"As Sri Lanka grapples with economic and political difficulties, to grossly interfere in Sri Lanka's normal exchange and cooperation with other countries is to exploit its vulnerability, which is morally irresponsible and against the basic norms governing international relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in Beijing in response to a question on the Chinese vessel's planned docking at the Hambantota port.
"We urge the relevant parties to see China's marine scientific research activities in a rational light and stop disrupting normal exchange and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka," Wang added.
China has made the most infrastructure investments of any creditor to Sri Lanka. The success of the island in the ongoing bailout negotiations with the International Monetary Fund would depend on the debt restructuring of Chinese loans.
In contrast, India has provided Sri Lanka with a lifeline during its ongoing economic crisis. As the island nation struggles with the biggest financial crisis since gaining independence in 1948, it has been at the forefront of providing Sri Lanka with financial aid totalling approximately USD 4 billion.
(With inputs from PTI)