Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy warship arrives in Colombo
The 129m long ship which arrived in Colombo is manned by a crew of 138 and it is commanded by Commander Jin Xin.
Colombo: The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy warship HAI YANG 24 HAO arrived at the port of Colombo on a formal visit this morning, the Navy said.
The 129m long ship which arrived in Colombo is manned by a crew of 138 and it is commanded by Commander Jin Xin.
Meanwhile, the ship is scheduled to depart the island on August 12.
A recent US research report says that China will develop the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka as its next naval base where Beijing has spent $2.19 billion developing the port. As of now China operates one overseas naval base in the East African nation of Djibouti.
The study by the AidData research project at the William & Mary University in Virginia says that under China’s ambitious plans to extend its military reach, it will soon seek to build its ports in Equatorial Guinea, Pakistan and Cameroon over the next five years.
The report adds that of all the overseas ports under development, “China’s single largest port investment anywhere is at Hambantota, and Beijing exercises direct control over the facility… Coupled with its strategic location, the popularity of China among elites and the population, and Sri Lanka’s alignment with China in UNGA voting, Hambantota is our top candidate for a future base”, says AidData.
However, Indian military veterans hold differing views about this assessment.
India Narrative spoke with Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, former commander-in-chief, Western Naval Command, about Chinese ambitions over the Sri Lankan port. He says that it is “very unlikely that Hambantota will be a PLA Navy (PLAN) port. There are agreements between Sri Lanka and India in place to that effect”.
