Chinese spy ship changes course but Pak warship to dock at Colombo

New Delhi, August 10

The Chinese tracking and survey vessel, Yuan Wang 5, has changed course and does not seem to be approaching Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port after Colombo, on India’s prodding, told Beijing to defer its port call.

While the Chinese vessel is unlikely to dock at Hambantota, Colombo has allowed a Pakistani warship to make a port call at Colombo while on its way to join the Pakistan Navy in Karachi.

The brand new Pakistani warship ‘Taimur’ had started its journey from Shanghai where it was manufactured and had docked in Malaysia enroute. The ship is expected to be at Colombo port from August 12 to 15.

According to Maritimeoptima.com, a digital vessel tracking platform, the Chinese vessel is currently at some 600 nautical miles away from Hambantota port and appeared to be slowing down its speed as well as changing course.

After External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told his Lankan counterpart Ali Sabry that the docking of the Chinese spy vessel has security implications for India, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry asked China to defer its visit which was cleared by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa a day before he fled the country.