China asks India not to 'obstruct' research by its ship, refrains from committing more aid to Sri Lanka

The Yuan Wang 5 will remain at the Hambantota Port for about a week with the publicly stated purpose being replenishment of stocks

China has asked India to refrain from obstructing “marine scientific research” by its ship Yuan Wang 5, which berthed at the Hambantota Port of Sri Lanka early on Tuesday.

“I want to stress again that the marine scientific research activities of the Yuan Wang 5 are consistent with international law and international customary practice. They do not affect the security and economic interests of any country and should not be obstructed by any third party,” Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told journalists in Beijing.

Though New Delhi conveyed its concerns to Colombo over the arrival of the Yuan Wang 5 used by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to track satellites and ballistic missiles, so close to the southern coast of India, the Sri Lankan government finally allowed the ship to dock at the Hambantota Port on Tuesday.

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The ship will remain at the Hambantota Port for about a week with the publicly stated purpose being replenishment of stocks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sri Lankan government last week stated that it had granted permission to Yuan Wang 5 to visit the Hambantota Port from August 16 to 22 on conditions that the vessel would keep its Automatic Identification System (AIS) always switched on within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the island nation and would not conduct any scientific research in its waters.

“It will take some time for the Yuan Wang 5 research ship to complete the replenishment of necessary supplies after the docking,” Wang, the spokesperson of the Chinese Government, said in Beijing.

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He, however, avoided committing any increase in China’s financial assistance to cash-strapped Sri Lanka in the wake of the decision by the island nation’s government to allow the ship to visit the Hambantota. “As Sri Lanka’s friendly neighbour, China feels deeply about the economic and social difficulties facing Sri Lanka at the moment. China has been doing its utmost to support and help Sri Lanka pull through the difficulties. This is what we have been doing and what we will continue to do,” he said.

Beijing provided $73 million in aid and rice shipments to help Sri Lanka after the country plunged into an economic crisis early this year. The Chinese government, however, continued to dilly dally on Sri Lanka’s request for another aid package of at least $4 billion. The country also did not take a call on the Sri Lankan government’s request for amending the terms and conditions of the bilateral $1.5 billion currency swap deal so that the island nation could use it for imports.

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India has since early this year provided assistance worth over $3.8 billion to help cash-strapped Sri Lanka and also sent consignments of food, fuel, medicines, fertilisers and other essentials.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a bilateral meeting with newly appointed Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry at Phnom Penh in Cambodia on the sideline of the ASEAN conclaves on August 4. Jaishankar reassured Sabry of India’s commitment, as a dependable friend and reliable partner, to the economic recovery and well being of Sri Lanka.