Chinese belligerence

China has taken exception to Sri Lanka’s request to delay the docking of high-tech Chinese vessel Yuan Wang 5 at the strategic Hambantota port, saying that it is ‘completely unjustified’ for certain countries to cite ‘so-called security concerns’ to ‘grossly interfere’ in Colombo’s internal affairs. This is a thinly veiled attack on India, which recently apprised Sri Lanka of its apprehensions that the latest-generation space-tracking ship — which monitors satellite, rocket and intercontinental ballistic missile launches — could be deployed to imperil India’s security and economic interests. New Delhi is also fearful that Beijing might use the Chinese-built-and-leased Hambantota port as a military base — right in India’s backyard.

Without naming India, Beijing has asked ‘relevant parties’ to stop disrupting normal exchange and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka. New Delhi has no intention of bullying its subcontinental neighbour or harming Lanka-China ties. India is justified in expressing its security concerns as the spy ship is coming too close for comfort. Instead of trying to address the issues, China is being typically intractable. It’s also unreasonable of Beijing to expect Colombo to do its bidding unquestioningly. Lanka, which is in the throes of an economic crisis, seems to have realised the pitfalls of putting all its eggs in the Chinese basket. There is no denying that China’s military posturing poses a grave threat to peace in the Indian Ocean region. Lanka’s gritty stand on Yuan Wang 5 has raised hopes that India can bank on like-minded countries to curb Chinese maritime aggression.

China’s tendency to throw its weight around is also starkly visible in the case of Taiwan. The military drills launched in the wake of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit are meant to intimidate the Taiwanese leadership, even as the exercises lay bare China’s frustration at the show of defiance. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has alleged that China is using the drills as part of a game plan to invade the ‘self-ruled’ island. The international community needs to remain vigilant as Beijing’s belligerence could make regional conflicts reach a flashpoint.