China's Spy Ship Still Headed To Sri Lanka Despite "Defer" Request

"In the light of the need for further consultations, the Ministry has communicated to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Colombo to defer the visit of the said vessel to the Hambantota port,'' the Lankan foreign ministry said.

Beijing, without naming India, said it ''urges relevant parties to see China's scientific exploration in a reasonable and sensible way and stop disturbing normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka".

New Delhi has voiced its concern at the presence of the ship in the Indian Ocean, as it can be used to track satellites and inter-continental ballistic missiles.