China stays silent on Indian Navy’s role
BEIJING:China on Monday blanked out the Indian Navy’s role in rescuing a ship belonging to the island nation of Tuvalu in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, saying it was an operation carried out by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.
Sharing sketchy details about the operation, the ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) said the Chinese navy operating in the region received a call about a ship hijack, set off immediately, and rescued the ship and the personnel aboard after an operation that lasted for a few hours. But there was no mention of the role of the Indian Navy in the operation.
Warships from India, China and Pakistan operated jointly in the Gulf of Aden to rescue a merchant vessel attacked by Somali pirates on Saturday night.
The blanking out of Indian Navy’s role comes at a time when the two countries are locked in a war of words on the visit of Tibetan leader 14th Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh, a state that China says is part of south Tibet.
When specifically asked about the Indian Navy’s role in the operation, MFA spokesperson Hua Chunying said she didn’t have more details. “I have already given whatever I have learnt to you. The Chinese convoy received a report from UKMTO (United Kingdom Marine Trade Operation) and conducted the rescue operation. Without regard to details, I point you to the defence ministry,” she said.
If Indian Navy helicopters provided cover, Hua didn’t mention it, choosing instead only to say the operation was carried out under the cover of “our” helicopters. “The Chinese side is always positive towards international cooperation. This position is very clear,” Hua said. She added the operation “demonstrated effectiveness of Chinese naval forces”.
Several Indian media outlets carried the report on the joint operations carried out by the India and Chinese navies. But a report by the official news agency, Xinhua, on Monday had no mention of the Indian navy’s role. “The convoy fleet sent by the PLA Navy Tuvaluan ship hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday local time,” the Xinhua report said.