Aug 14,2022:Sri Lanka says it has granted permission for a controversial Chinese research vessel to visit the island, despite security concerns raised by India.
The Yuan Wang 5 is described as a research and survey vessel by international shipping and analytics sites, but according to Indian media, it is a dual-use spy ship.
India has provided more help to Sri Lanka this year than any other nation. But it fears China will use the Hambantota port near the main Asia-Europe shipping route as a military base.
The Yuan Wang 5 was initially due to arrive in a port in Hambantota on the southern coast of Sri Lanka on August 11, but will now arrive on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said.
The visit had initially been approved on July 12, a day before former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled following months of protests against the country’s economic crisis.
