Editor's Pick: Chinese vessel to dock at Hambantota port, Colombo confirms

Just two days after denying it had information of the scheduled arrival of a Chinese research vessel at the southern Hambantota Port in August, crisis-hit Sri Lanka confirmed that the vessel had sought clearance to dock at the port. “The vessel will be in Hambantota from August 11 to 17, mainly for replenishment, including fuel,” Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry media spokesman Col. Nalin Herath said. After reports of the vessel Yuan Wang 5’s scheduled arrival came to New Delhi’s notice earlier this week, the External Affairs Ministry had said that India “carefully monitors any development having a bearing on its security and economic interests”. “I think that should be a clear message,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said during a weekly media briefing. The Chinese vessel is involved in space and satellite tracking in the Indian Ocean Region. The vessel’s arrival was highlighted by BRISL (Belt & Road Initiative Sri Lanka), a Colombo-based organisation studying China’s ambitious connectivity project. The BRISL website had said that the vessel’s visit to Hambantota would be “excellent opportunity for Sri Lanka and the regional developing nations to learn and develop their own space programmes”. The visit of the Chinese research vessel to the neighbouring country’s port assumes significance as India has traditionally taken a stern view of Chinese military or suspected dual-purpose vessels in the Indian ocean, and the MEA has protested such visits with Sri Lanka in the past. Besides, India’s concerns lie in the Hambantota port in particular, as the port had been leased out to a Chinese firm in 2017 after Colombo failed to repay a loan for the port’s development. The 99-year-lease had fanned fears in New Delhi over the port’s potential use for military purposes. Moreover, the development comes when Sri Lanka stands at an economic and political crossroads. Both India and China have extended huge economic assistance to the Island nation since the start of this year. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor‘s Pick and more. Click here The Hindu Explains What type of vaccine will work against monkeypox? What has the Supreme Court said on PMLA’s validity? The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Which country is set to get a new Constitution, a change spearheaded by their President Kais Saied? Morocco Algeria Tunisia Turkey To find out the answer and play the full quiz, click here [logo] Editor's Pick 31 JULY 2022 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Chinese vessel to dock at Hambantota port, Colombo confirms Just two days after [denying it had information of the scheduled arrival]( a Chinese research vessel at the southern Hambantota Port in August, crisis-hit Sri Lanka [confirmed]( that the vessel had sought clearance to dock at the port. “The vessel will be in Hambantota from August 11 to 17, mainly for replenishment, including fuel,” Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry media spokesman Col. Nalin Herath said. After reports of the vessel Yuan Wang 5’s scheduled arrival came to New Delhi’s notice earlier this week, the External Affairs Ministry had said that India “carefully monitors any development having a bearing on its security and economic interests”. “I think that should be a clear message,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said during a weekly media briefing. The Chinese vessel is involved in space and satellite tracking in the Indian Ocean Region. The vessel’s arrival was highlighted by BRISL (Belt & Road Initiative Sri Lanka), a Colombo-based organisation studying China’s ambitious connectivity project. The BRISL website had said that the vessel’s visit to Hambantota would be “excellent opportunity for Sri Lanka and the regional developing nations to learn and develop their own space programmes”. The visit of the Chinese research vessel to the neighbouring country’s port assumes significance as India has traditionally taken a stern view of Chinese military or suspected dual-purpose vessels in the Indian ocean, and the MEA has protested such visits with Sri Lanka in the past. Besides, India’s concerns lie in the Hambantota port in particular, as the port had been leased out to a Chinese firm in 2017 after Colombo failed to repay a loan for the port’s development. The 99-year-lease had fanned fears in New Delhi over the port’s potential use for military purposes. Moreover, the development comes when Sri Lanka stands at an economic and political crossroads. Both India and China have extended huge economic assistance to the Island nation since the start of this year. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? 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