India’s pressure on Sri Lanka to defer arrival of Chinese ship ‘unreasonable’: FM

India’s pressure on Sri Lanka to defer the arrival of a Chinese research vessel at a Sri Lankan port, citing so-called national security concerns, is unreasonable, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday, urging “relevant parties” to view China’s marine scientific research activities rationally and refrain from interfering in normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka.

Reuters reported on Sunday, citing a government source, that Sri Lanka had asked China to defer the planned visit of a Chinese research and survey vessel, the Yuan Wang 5, which was to dock at the Hambantota port, after an objection from India.

Scientific research ships from various countries, including China, have docked at Sri Lankan ports for supplies many times, Wang Wenbin, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a regular press conference in Beijing on Monday.

Sri Lanka has the right to develop relations with other countries based on its own development interests; normal cooperation between China and Sri Lanka serves the common interests of both sides, Wang said. “The cooperation aims at no third party, and it’s also unreasonable to pressure the Sri Lankan side over so-called national security concerns.”

Wang described India’s pressure on the island country as a brutal interference in Sri Lanka’s private and normal foreign exchanges and cooperation, when it’s facing severe economic and political difficulties. “It’s a typical case of ‘taking advantage of others’ dangers’, which goes against the basic norms of international relations.”

“We urge relevant parties to stop interfering in normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka,” the official warned.

“It’s a typical case of ‘taking advantage of others’ dangers’, which goes against the basic norms of international relations,”

Wang Wenbin

Foreign Ministry spokesperson