Policy Alert #249 | September 8, 2022
On August 16 at 8:20 am local time, the Yuan Wang 5, a Chinese ship, docked in Hambantota port in Sri Lanka. It left after six days on August 22nd, but not without causing an international stir. Its docking had been delayed for a few days by Sri Lankan authorities as the ship came embroiled in controversy. Indeed, the ship arrived in Sri Lanka as India was testing new missiles, raising suspicions that the ship, which has the capacity to track ballistic missile and satellites, had been sent to collect data on Indian missile launches.
This incident comes in the context of the extended standoff between China and India along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. Weeks before the Yuan Wang 5 was scheduled to dock, India denounced it as a “dual-use spy ship,” an assessment that was shared by the US Department of Defense. China pushed back against this narrative, asserting that the ship was solely docking for replenishment and was a research ship, conducting marine scientific research, and that its docking was part of “normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka.”
However, the Chinese ship had barely left Sri Lanka before India joined the Vostok 2022 military exercises in Russia held September 1-7. These exercises are hosted by Russia but China is the second largest participant, having sent a 2,000 strong contingent from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). As part of these exercises, around 200 Indian troops drilled with contingents from other participant countries, and thus collaborated and trained with the Chinese military even as the controversy over the Yuan Wang 5’s docking near India was still fresh. India seems to be playing a delicate balancing act, drawing concern for different reasons from both the US and China.
What are the opinions in the region on these developments from Hambantota to Vostok?
CHINA
China has defended its use of Hambantota Port, with Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong writing an article published in the Sri Lanka Guardian on August 26th, in which he argues that “all the scientific research activities of “Yuan Wang 5” comply with the international law and common international practice.” Ambassador Qi was subsequently heavily criticized by Indian media and by the Indian High Commission in Colombo. Wang Wenbin, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, highlighted that “China has always exercised the freedom of the high seas legally and fully respects the jurisdiction of coastal states for scientific research activities in the waters under their jurisdiction.”
Similarly, Zhang Xuefeng, a military deputy to the past 13th National People’s Congress, has stressed that Chinese PLA Navy ships in the Vostok 2022 exercises operate in waters allowed by international law. The Vostok exercises may lead to more regular visible military cooperation endeavors between China and Russia, with joint patrols expected to follow after the exercise is over.
- The Global Times, a Chinese nationalist newspaper run under the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, has published several articles critical of India and Indian media over this affair, characterizing Indian media as “firing unsubstantiated accusations on the scientific research vessel.” Articles heavily cite Chinese Ambassador Qi and journalists interviewed Chinese experts who see “no reason to make a fuss out of a lawful and reasonable port call by a Chinese ship.”The Global Times also denounces Western reactions to the Vostok exercises, predicting that Western media is likely “hype the matter again” to do the same once the joint patrol is formalized.
- On the other hand, the independent South China Morning Post notes the “added significance” of Vostok 2022, held while war rages in Ukraine, and acknowledges that the exercises are meant, at least by some parties, as a direct and defiant message to the US and US allies.
INDIA
India pointed out the Chinese ship’s technical capabilities and expressed concern over the purpose of its docking in Sri Lanka. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed India’s concerns about the announced docking to Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Ali Sabry as early as August 3rd during the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The main concern was the risk of “the ship’s tracking systems attempting to snoop on Indian installations.” The Indian government put pressure on the Sri Lankan government, resulting in a delayed docking, but avoided direct confrontation with China on the issue. However, Chinese statements critical of the way India handled the situation were strongly rebuked by the Indian High Commission in Colombo, which targeted Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong for his violation of “basic diplomatic etiquette.”
India downplayed the significance of its participation in Vostok 2022. The Indian Army issued a statement narrowing the exercise’s aim to ”interaction and coordination amongst other participating military contingents and observers”, though this was not enough to fully assuage US concerns. India has been a participant of Russian exercises since it sent a contingent to Tsentr 2019, alongside other Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members. Following remarks by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre, this is what Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs chose to emphasize, declaring that “India has been regularly participating in multilateral exercises in Russia along with a number of other countries”.
- Indian media in general viewed the Yuan Wang 5’s docking in Sri Lanka unfavorably, with the center-right newspaper Times of India pushing back against Chinese criticism, while the liberal Indian Express called the Yuan Wang 5 a “spy ship”, and focused on the more controversial statements by Ambassador Qi.
- However, the recipient of this hostility was mainly China or Chinese diplomats, whereas Sri Lanka has been spared this ire, with Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Harin Fernado given a platform by the left leaning The Hindu to explain the situation Sri Lanka was put in.
- Indian media overwhelmingly defended Indian participation in Vostok 2022, with the liberal Hindustan Times pointing out that India elected not to participate in maritime drills as to not cause tensions with Japan, while The Hindu highlighted the routine nature of the drills, while acknowledging US concerns.
JAPAN
Japanese media, from the left leaning Manichi to the conservative Yomiuri Shimbun, mirrored the Indian and American assertions that the Yuan Wang 5 is a “spy ship,” a “military ship” part of the “Chinese navy.” However, Japanese media was overall not overtly critical of China, and also pointed out the responsibility of Sri Lanka in fanning the flames of Sino-Indian tensions.
The Vostok exercises on the other hand present a larger to threat to Japanese interests, as a maritime component of Vostok 2022, including live fire exercises, was conducted in disputed territory. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno expressed serious concern, noting that Japan would “take all possible measures to conduct warning and surveillance activities in the waters surrounding Japan.”
- Departing from Indian media’s sparing of Sri Lanka, the Manichi considers that “Sri Lanka is playing with two fires at a diplomatic level.”
- As The Japan Times, a centrist newspaper, points out, Vostok 2022 naval exercises were conducted in Etorofu and Kunashiri islands, as known in Japan, which are disputed territory.
- The business focused Nikkei highlighted the incongruity of India participating alongside Chinese troops despite the “Himalayan standoff.”
RUSSIA
Russian media has covered the tensions that have stemmed from the Yuan Wang 5 docking in Hambantota superficially and without criticizing any of the states involved in the affair. Given the scope of the Vostok 2022 exercises, and their symbolic importance, Russia has been more vocal covering the exercises and defending their legitimacy. Putin attended the drills in person, and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin stated that “The exercise is not directed against any specific states or military alliances and is purely defensive in nature,” anticipating the US reservations that came the next day.
- Government-funded Russia Today presented the Hambantota issue chronologically, introduced India’s concerns and laid out the Chinese rebukes, without making a case for either antagonist. Its treatment of Vostok was similarly balanced, noting US concerns, especially over Indian participation, and highlighting the multinational nature of the exercises.
- Sputnik News, funded by the state, remarked that the initial authorization for the ship to dock was given by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa only a day before he was forced to flee to Singapore by massive protests.
- The Pravda Report, a nationalist newspaper, went another route. Rather than defending the Vostok 2022 exercises, it criticized the US for holding military drills with countries which are members of the SCO, while also addressing thinly veiled threats to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
RPI acknowledges support from the MacArthur Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York for its activities.
