Guwahati: Security analysts refer to the controversal Chinese ship Yuan Wang 5 as a “spy ship,” but the country labels it a high-tech research vessel. It arrived in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port on Tuesday.
According to the Pentagon, the Strategic Support Force of the People’s Liberation Army is in charge of running the aforementioned ships, which houses the headquarters of the US Department of Defense.
There are concerns about the possibility that the ship may have been trying to track systems and snoop into Indian defence sites while en route to the port in Sri Lanka.
Due of the ship’s monitoring capabilities, the US voiced worries about the situation.
Additionally, port officials permitted the ship to dock under the condition that no research will be done while it is in Sri Lankan seas after consulting with China, the United States, and India.
Sri Lanka foreign minister Ali Sabry, stated that the security and cooperation in the neighbourhood are of utmost priority in handling the issue of the Chinese vessel Wang Yang 5.
Prior plans called for the Chinese “spy ship” to arrive on August 11 and stay in port until August 17 for “replenishment.”
However, Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry requested that the visit be delayed in response to India’s security concerns.
Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reassured Indians that the country is prepared for any difficulties that may occur after Sri Lanka permitted the contentious “spy ship” to dock in its territorial seas, on Sunday.
Sonowal said, “We are well-equipped and well-prepared to handle any kind of situation effectively under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. That is clear”.
His comments came a day after Colombo, in defiance of security worries from the surrounding nations, allowed access to the ship for “replenishment needs.”