After controversial visit, Chinese ship leaves Sri Lanka

• A Chinese military survey ship that docked at Sri Lanka’s Chinese-built port of Hambantota left on Monday after a week-long stay.
• India is concerned that China will use the port as a military base.
• China claims the port is an important part of its Belt and Road initiative, which connects infrastructure projects in various countries.

A Chinese military survey ship that docked at Sri Lanka’s Chinese-built port of Hambantota despite opposition from neighboring India left on Monday after a week-long stay, according to the port company.

According to analysts, the Yuan Wang 5 is one of several Chinese ships that monitor satellite, rocket, and intercontinental ballistic missile launches. India, Sri Lanka’s northern neighbor, is concerned that China will use the port as a military base.

Sri Lanka, which is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades and requires financial assistance from both China and India, delayed the ship’s arrival after India raised concerns, but later caved to Chinese demands.

According to the Hambantota International Port Group, a collaboration between the Sri Lankan government and China Merchants Port Holdings, the ship has now left the southern Sri Lankan port (0144.HK).

The ship’s next port of call was unknown at the time.

According to the Pentagon, the Yuan Wang ships are operated by the People’s Liberation Army’s Strategic Support Force.

5 Yuan Wang Last week, Captain Zhang Hongwang stated that the ship’s visit would “deepen exchange between China and Sri Lanka in the field of space science and technology and promote the common progress of the two countries’ space industries.”

China claims that the Hambantota port, which China Merchants leased for 99 years in 2017, is an important part of its Belt and Road initiative, which connects infrastructure projects in various countries.