Chinese spy ship Yuan Wang-5 has been given permission by Sri Lanka to dock at the Hambantota Port, according to Sri Lankan news sources.
The Sri Lankan government authorised the Yuan Wang-5 ship to dock at the Hambantota Port on Friday, according to a report by TimesOnline LK.
On August 16, the ship will arrive at the Hambantota Port. Previously, it was supposed to arrive in the Hambantota Port on August 11.
The Sri Lankan government expressed serious concerns to India, who then asked the Chinese government to postpone the event till further notice.
The approval was earlier granted by the Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Defense Ministry, and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), and the ship is currently sailing for Hambantota Port.
The surveillance ship’s docking will cause embarrassment for the Sri Lankan administration, which despite the economic crisis is still receiving money from India, ignored India’s concerns.
In a meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe earlier this week, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung expressed concerns about the spy ship. According to Sri Lankan media reports, Wickremesinghe asked Chung to explain her concerns and opposition.
According to the Pentagon, the Strategic Support Force of the People’s Liberation Army controls the Yuan Wang-5 spy ships (PLA). These ships have the best electrical and antenna technology available, which enables them to launch and track missiles and rockets.
India has repeatedly stated that the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is a historic sphere of influence and that it will not allow any challenges to its sovereignty or its legitimate strategic interests.
It should be highlighted that the dysfunctional Sri Lankan government has little influence on how the Hambantota Port is run.
Because it was unable to pay its debt, the country leased the port to China for 99 years. As a result, it has caused geopolitical problems for its neighbours in the area because the PLA may use the port to spy on India by taking advantage of Sri Lanka’s unrest at home.
