Sri Lanka Says No to Docking of Chinese Submarines

 

Sri Lanka's new Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Saturday in Beijing that the new government in Colombo will not allow a repeat of last year's visits by a Chinese submarine that had raised concerns in India.  

 

Colombo acknowledged that such a docking did take place coinciding with the Japanese Prime Minister's visit last year.

 

A Chinese submarine had visited Colombo port twice last year which had raised concerns in India. India raised the issue repeatedly with Sri Lankan government. China’s growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean region has opened a new area of rivalry for the two Asian countries.

 

Asked if the new Colombo government would, as ousted President Mahinda Rajapaksa had done, allow Chinese submarines access to Sri Lankan ports, Samaraweera said, "I really don't know under which sort of circumstances that led to some submarines... to the port of Colombo on the very day the Japanese Prime Minister was visiting Sri Lanka. But we will ensure that such incidents, from whatever quarter, do not happen during our tenure." 

 

China has built a seaport and airport in the south of the country, raising fears it is seeking influence in a country with which India has traditionally had deep ties.