COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A Chinese navy ship at the center of a diplomatic standoff docked in a southern Sri Lankan port on Tuesday, marking a minor triumph for Beijing over India and the United States. The Yuan Wang 5 arrived before 8 a.m. Tuesday and will remain for three days, according to the Hambantota International Port Group. The ship, which was reportedly carrying 2,000 sailors, was received in a traditional Sri Lankan ceremony attended by Chinese ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Sri Lankan parliamentarians. Footage from the event showed the officials sitting on a red carpet in front of the docked Chinese military vessel while its crew held a huge red banner along a deck that read: “Hello Sri Lanka, Long Live Sri Lanka — China Friendship” . Indian and US officials had raised concerns about the political outlook of a Chinese navy ship moored at the international port of Hambantota, which the Sri Lankan government leased to state-owned China Merchants Port Holdings in 2017 after Sri Lanka failed to repay debts to China. The port transfer has been condemned by the United States as a prime example of China’s harmful lending practices and its growing influence on the island nation – claims China has strongly denied. The port is also seen as a potential strategic base for the Chinese navy to project power in the Indian Ocean and the Middle East. India has warned in recent weeks that Yuan Wang 5, a surveillance spacecraft reportedly unarmed but equipped with advanced sensors, could spy on Indian defense facilities. India said it would take necessary countermeasures to ensure national security. Indian officials also claimed that New Delhi extended significant financial aid to Sri Lanka this year – about $4 billion – as the Sri Lankan economy went into freefall. They said Sri Lanka should deny the Chinese vessel entry to a politically sensitive port so close to India. The bankrupt island nation, which is seeking to restructure its debts, counts China and India among its creditors. “When a small, bankrupt nation like Sri Lanka delivers a diplomatic slap in the face to New Delhi by hosting a Chinese surveillance ship in the commercial port of Hambantota, it’s a startling reminder of both India’s reckless foreign policy and declining influence in its strategic backyard.” . Brahma Chellaney, a former member of India’s national security advisory council, said on Twitter on Tuesday. On Monday, less than a day before the Chinese ship entered Habadota, the Indian military gave two surveillance aircraft to Sri Lanka as a gesture of friendship. Under pressure from India, Sri Lanka asked China last week to delay the ship’s arrival. Beijing responded angrily and accused other countries of meddling in its dealings with Sri Lanka. Senior Sri Lankan officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private talks between the governments, said on Tuesday that the Chinese were “relentless in their insistence” that the ship be docked. The Yuan Wang 5 was originally scheduled to arrive on August 11, but was delayed while Sri Lankan officials negotiated with the various governments. Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Sri Lanka had “engaged in extensive high-level consultations through the diplomatic channel with all stakeholders” before granting final approval. Dayan Jayatilleka, Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to Russia, said Sri Lanka could expect an angry response from the Indian government, which has long suspected that the port of Hambadota could eventually be used by China for politicians and military purposes. The arrival of a Chinese warship “cannot escape the response of the other superpower in the region,” he said. “There will be a response from India, which may be a return to the financial aid given to Sri Lanka or something more dynamic.” Shih reported from New Delhi.
