A Chinese research ship docks in Sri Lanka despite pressure from India and the United States

Aug. 16 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Chinese research ship Yuan Wang 5 has officially docked this Tuesday at the Hambantota port, in southern Sri Lanka, after the arrival of the ship was postponed due to pressure from countries such as India or the United States.

The ship entered Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone on Monday and will remain for seven days for replenishment purposes, local media reported.

Sri Lanka granted permission for it to dock at the port of Hambantota in a controversial context. India expressed its doubts about the integrity of the mission, since it considers that it could cover up an espionage operation. The United States, for its part, pressured the Sri Lankan government to revoke Chinese access to the port.

Initially, the ‘Yuan Wang 5’ was due to arrive at a port in Hambantota, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, on August 11. However, the delicate issue has ended up causing her arrival to be postponed.

The postponement occurred after “certain concerns” were raised, according to the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, while New Delhi indicated the start of operations to study the trip in relation to the security and economic interests of India, which “take all necessary measures to safeguard them.”

India and the US also argue that allowing the visit would mean special treatment for China as the country seeks to renegotiate its debt and seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after months of political upheaval.

Hambantota’s port, more than a decade old, has been plagued by controversy, as the government had to take out large loans to build it. When Sri Lanka was unable to repay the loans, it gave China a 99-year lease on the facility for debt relief.