Chinese research ship to visit Sri Lanka

Subject :Polity

Section: Legislation in news

Context: A Chinese research ship is going to dock on Sri Lanka’s Colombo port in October

More about the news:

A vessel named ‘Shi Yan 6’, a scientific research vessel, with a 60-member crew, is going to land on Sri Lankan port.
The research ship aims to carry out oceanography, marine geology and marine ecology tests.
The Chinese research vessel is expected in the island country in October to carry out research along with Sri Lanka’s National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA)

What happened last year:

India expressed concerns over a Chinese ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship, Yuan Wang 5, docking at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port for a week.
Initially, Sri Lanka postponed the ship’s arrival due to Indian objections but later allowed it.
India feared the ship’s surveillance range could cover several Indian ports, potentially compromising security. China argued that the ship’s activities were lawful and non-threatening. This incident strained India-Sri Lanka relations, reminiscent of a previous controversy when Sri Lanka permitted a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine to dock in 2014.

Some facts about Hambantota Port:

Hambantota port is located right in the middle of vital energy supply lines in the Indian Ocean, connecting the Middle East and East Asia.
Hambantota port is a deep-water port in the southern tip of Sri Lanka
Hambantota International Port Group is a Public Private Partnership and a Strategic Development Project between the Government of Sri Lanka and China Merchants Port Holdings (CMPort).
This port was given to China by Sri Lanka on a 99-year lease after Sri Lanka failed to repay Chinese loans.