Ship At Lankan Port Does Not Affect Security, Economic Interests Of Any Country: China

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the Yuan Wang-5 ship are consistent with international law and international customary practice."

Chinese tracking vessel Yuan Wang 5 berth at the Hambantota port

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New Delhi: Amid concerns by India and the US over a Chinese sea vessel berthed at Sri Lanka’s strategic southern port of Hambantota, Beijing on Tuesday said that the activities of its high-tech vessel will not affect the security of any country and should not be “obstructed” by “any third party”, reported news agency PTI. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the ship 'Yuan Wang 5' has "successfully berthed" at Hambantota Port with "active cooperation from the Sri Lankan side".

Referring to Indian and US concerns over the ship with military applications berthing at the Hambantota port in the Indian Ocean, Wang said, "I want to stress again that the marine scientific research activities of the Yuan Wang-5 ship are consistent with international law and international customary practice."

"They do not affect the security and economic interests of any country and should not be obstructed by any third party," he said.

He said that the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong hosted an online welcoming ceremony on the ship's arrival at the Hambantota port, which Beijing had taken over on a 99-year lease as a debt swap in 2017. 

The ceremony was attended by a representative of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe besides “more than ten heads of parties and heads of friendly communities,” Wang added. 

"The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, as Chinese and Sri Lankan national anthems were played, and the Sri Lankan people performed the traditional folk dance on the red carpet,” he said.

"It will take some time for the Yuan Wang 5 research ship to complete the replenishment of necessary supplies after the docking," hinting that the vessel may be there for a while.

Wang evaded the question of extending financial support to the island nation which went bankrupt, defaulting on $51 billion in foreign debt which included loans from Sri Lanka.