External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday stated that New Delhi was monitoring “very closely” the developments within the neighbourhood. The response was to a query on the Chinese spy vessel Yuan Wang 5 having docked in Hambantota port in Sri Lanka regardless of India elevating objections.
“What happens in our neighbourhood, any developments which have a bearing on our security obviously are of an interest to us,” Jaishankar stated whereas talking on the ninth India-Thailand Joint Commission Meeting in Bangkok.
“I think a spokesman had said some time ago, we obviously monitor any development, which has a bearing on our interests very, very carefully. So, I think I will leave it at that,” he added.
This comes a day after the Chinese ship docked on the port after Sri Lankan authorities granted the vessel entry to the port from August 16 to 22 on situation that it’s going to maintain the Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched on inside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Sri Lanka and no scientific analysis to be performed in Sri Lankan waters.
However, the Chinese ship bearing a pink and white banner learn “Long Live China and Sri Lanka friendship” with the Chinese envoy to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong standing on the dock to obtain the vessel.
Speaking to reporters at Hambantota port, when requested in regards to the delays and India’s issues, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong stated, “Everybody knows, I don’t need to explain.”
On the delay within the arrival of the ship, he stated, “I don’t know Maybe this is life This is not the first time that this kind of vessel has visited Sri Lanka. In 2014, this type of Chinese vessel visited Colombo. It is very natural. Hope our media friends will tell the objective of the issues.”
There have been experiences that after Sri Lanka refused entry to the Chinese ship, the Sri Lankan administration needed to do a U-turn given the stress by Beijing to permit the vessel else there could be no help from China for the IMF bailout bundle that Colombo is searching for and additional curtailment of bilateral monetary assist which Beijing has not been very forthcoming with anyway.
As a face-saver, authorities spokesman Bandula Gunawardena advised reporters over the weekend, “We are granting the same (port) facilities that we extend to all countries All countries are important to us.”
However, either side are tightlipped on what made Sri Lanka change its determination. The ship, which was to dock on August 11, reached Hambantota on August 16. The vessel will stay on the port for six days for refuelling and replenishment of provides.
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