US has reportedly voiced its concerns regarding the upcoming visit of the Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 6 to Sri Lanka. This concern was conveyed during discussions held in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly session.
US Undersecretary Victoria Nuland expressed these concerns during her conversation with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Ali Sabri.
In response, Foreign Minister Ali Sabri explained that Sri Lanka, as a neutral country, has established a standard operating procedure (SPO) that foreign ships and aircraft must follow when engaging in activities within Sri Lanka’s territory. He emphasized that this approach is uniformly applied to all nations, including China, and therefore, no exclusions can be made.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe had previously announced the development of a standard operating procedure for foreign vessels visiting Sri Lanka.
The Chinese research vessel is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in October for collaborative research with the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).
