Beijing, Delhi spar over Chinese ship's call in Sri Lanka

NEW DELHI • India and China traded insults over their diverging interests in Sri Lanka after a controversial Chinese scientific research ship called at the island nation despite New Delhi's security concerns.

Sri Lanka "needs support, not unwanted pressure or unnecessary controversies to serve another country's agenda", the Indian embassy in Colombo said on Twitter on Saturday, referencing the ongoing political and economic turmoil that the nation is battling after defaulting on its debt.

Last Friday, the Chinese embassy in Sri Lanka posted on Twitter that the South Asian country had every right to approve a foreign vessel docking at its port.

"External obstruction based on so-called 'security concerns' but without any evidence from certain forces is de facto a thorough interference into Sri Lanka's sovereignty and independence," the Chinese mission wrote. "Some countries, far or near, always make groundless excuses to bully Sri Lanka, and trample on Sri Lanka's sovereignty and independence repeatedly," it said, without naming India.

Shipping analytics websites describe the Yuan Wang 5 as a research and survey vessel, but according to Indian media, it is a dual-use spy ship. Analysts say it is among a group of Chinese ships that monitor satellite, rocket and intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon says the Yuan Wang class of ships are operated by the Strategic Support Force of the People's Liberation Army of China.

When the vessel arrived on Aug 16, Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong said the port call was part of "normal exchanges between the two countries".

Yuan Wang 5 Captain Zhang Hongwang said the ship's visit would "deepen the exchange between China and Sri Lanka in the field of space science and technology and promote the common progress of the space industry of the two countries".

Sri Lanka, facing its worst economic crisis in decades and in need of financial support from both China and India, had earlier delayed the ship's arrival after India raised its concerns but gave in to Chinese demands later. Colombo allowed the Yuan Wang 5 to visit the deep-sea port on the condition that it would not engage in research in Sri Lankan waters.

India's Ministry of External Affairs said last month that the ship's movements could have a bearing on the country's security and economic interests.

New Delhi is suspicious of Beijing's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean and activities in Sri Lanka, seeing both as firmly within its sphere of influence.

BLOOMBERG, REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE