Chinese frigate’s arrival in Colombo under Sri Lanka flag emblematic of Beijing power play in Indian Ocean
- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena nails his colours firmly to mast and tells Washington he will not compromise his nation’s security in deal with the US
A Chinese warship that served the People’s Liberation Army for a quarter of a century arrived at Colombo in Sri Lanka on Monday, in the latest sign of deepening relations between China and the Indian Ocean island nation.
The Type 053 frigate, commissioned into the PLA Navy in 1994 as the Tongling, was handed over to the Sri Lankan Navy at a Shanghai dockyard last month. The 2,300-tonne warship was expected to join “patrol and surveillance missions in deep seas around Sri Lanka, providing maritime security and help in search-and-rescue operations”, the Sri Lankan government said.
In March, the 92 sailors and 18 officers who crew the 112-metre-long (367 ft) vessel visited China for training.
The donated frigate is emblematic of Beijing’s growing influence on the island nation. As one of Sri Lanka’s largest trading partners, China is also – though controversially – the largest financier of new infrastructure in the country of 21.4 million people.
The frigate arrived two days after Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said he would not permit his government to conclude a deal that would allow the US military free access to the island’s ports.
At a gathering on Saturday, Sirisena said the Status of Forces Agreement could compromise Sri Lanka’s independence.