The Marxist-leaning National People’s Power (NPP), led by Dissanayake, secured a landslide victory in recent parliamentary polls. Before the elections, former Cabinet Spokesman Vijitha Herath had suggested that the matter would be revisited once the new government was in place.
Sri Lanka’s newly formed cabinet under leftist President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has yet to address the lifting of a one-year ban on Chinese research vessels entering the country’s waters, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa announced. The prohibition, implemented by the previous administration of Ranil Wickremesinghe in December 2023, is set to expire on December 21, 2024.
The decision to impose the ban was influenced by security concerns raised by neighbouring India, which cited potential spying activities by foreign research ships operating in the Indian Ocean. Indian officials have voiced strong objections to Chinese vessels’ activities in the region, considering them a threat to regional security.
When questioned about the possibility of lifting the ban, Jayatissa stated, “We didn’t discuss it in the last cabinet meeting. I will answer this matter next time.” His comments highlight a degree of carefulness in decision-making on this sensitive issue, despite earlier indications that it would be reviewed after the country’s general elections.
Indian concerns
The Marxist-leaning National People’s Power (NPP), led by Dissanayake, secured a landslide victory in recent parliamentary polls. Before the elections, former Cabinet Spokesman Vijitha Herath had suggested that the matter would be revisited once the new government was in place.
In mid-2024, former Foreign Minister Ali Sabry suggested that Sri Lanka could allow foreign research ships to dock again, emphasising that the government could not selectively restrict China while accommodating other nations. The temporary ban was reportedly introduced to develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for regulating research and other foreign vessels.
Notably, two Chinese ships have docked in Sri Lanka within the last 14 months, drawing protests from India. The Yuan Wang 5, a Chinese naval vessel, docked at Hambantota in August 2022 for resupply, while the research ship Shi Yan 6 arrived in Colombo in October 2023 for a joint geophysical study with Sri Lanka’s National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).
India remains a key player in the region, accounting for 70 per cent of Colombo port’s trans-shipment volume, underscoring its strategic interests in Sri Lanka’s maritime policies.
