The United States has reportedly expressed concerns regarding the upcoming visit of the Chinese ‘research ship’ Shi Yan 6, which is believed to be a spy vessel, to Colombo.
US Under Secretary Victoria Nuland is said to have raised these concerns during her meeting with Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, as reported by Sri Lankan news outlet Daily Mirror Online.
Sabry is said to have informed Nuland that the ship is operating in accordance with Colombo’s Standard Operating Procedure (SPO), which applies to foreign ships and aircraft conducting activities in Sri Lankan territory. He emphasized that Sri Lanka, as a neutral country, treats all nations equally and cannot exclude China from the process.
While the date of the meeting is unclear, the report indicates that the officials met in the United States on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
The Chinese vessel is scheduled to dock at Colombo port in October.
According to a statement from China’s state broadcaster CGTN, the ship aims to “strengthen scientific research cooperation and exchanges with countries along the Maritime Silk Road and further realize the integration of science and education for the Belt and Road Initiative.” The vessel Shi Yan 6 carries a crew of 60 members.
Researchers affiliated with Sri Lanka’s National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) are planning a scientific expedition aboard the Shi Yan 6. Their primary objective is to conduct an extensive survey within both Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the southern Indian Ocean region.
India has previously expressed concerns about China’s activities in Sri Lanka, suspecting that China may be trying to gather intelligence on Indian defense installations. Last year, India raised objections over a port call in Hambantota by the Chinese research vessel Yuan Wang 5, which specializes in spacecraft tracking and was described by India as a spy ship. Hambantota is viewed as a strategically important port in southern Sri Lanka, constructed by a Chinese company.
While India has not officially commented on the latest visit, the Hindustan Times reported last month that Indian officials were engaging with Sri Lanka at the highest diplomatic levels regarding the matter.
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