Chinese research ship docks at Maldives port amid India’s security concerns
- Xiang Yang Hong 03 arrived at Male as bilateral ties between the two countries deepen
- While Beijing said survey by the vessel was ‘exclusively’ for peaceful purposes, New Delhi has voiced concern about the presence of China’s civilian ships in the Indian Ocean
The visit follows January comments by a US think tank that China’s navy could “leverage the insights gained from these missions” for deployment of naval forces, a claim Beijing calls part of a concocted image-smearing “China threat” narrative.
Xiang Yang Hong 03, owned by a research institute that reports to China’s natural resources ministry, made a port call in the Maldives capital of Male, data from MarineTraffic showed, more than a month after leaving its southeastern home port of Xiamen.
China’s foreign ministry has said research by the vessel was “exclusively” for peaceful purposes to benefit scientific understanding.
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In recent years, India has voiced concern about the presence of China’s research vessels in the Indian Ocean, even if they do not belong to the military.
An Indian security official has previously said the vessels were “dual-use”, meaning the data they gather can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
Xiang Yang Hong 03 has visited the Indian Ocean multiple times.
In 2022, Yuan Wang 5, a military vessel capable of tracking rocket and missile launches, arrived in Colombo, alarming India.
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The last time a Chinese research vessel docked in Sri Lanka was in October 2023, reviving India’s concerns. But in January, the island nation imposed a year-long moratorium on foreign research ships, effectively denying China a port of call.
Xiang Yang Hong 03’s arrival follows a January visit to China by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu that upgraded ties, with Beijing offering 920 million yuan (US$128 million) in “free aid”.
The Maldives has said the vessel would do no research in its waters, stopping only for personnel rotation and replenishment of supplies.
