COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will move its southern naval command to a port leased to a state-run Chinese firm but China will not use it…
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will move its southern naval command to a port leased to a state-run Chinese firm but China will not use it for military purposes, the prime minister’s office said Saturday (Jun 30).
Colombo’s announcement will likely raise fresh concerns in New Delhi over China’s military potentially getting a foothold in the Indian Ocean through the deep-sea port of Hambantota, which straddles a major east-west shipping route.
“The Sri Lanka navy is moving its Southern Command to Hambantota,” Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office said.
But it added: “There is no need to be frightened as security of the port will be under the control of the Sri Lanka Navy.
“Sri Lanka has also informed the Chinese that Hambantota cannot be used (by China) for military purposes,” it said.
