Chinese Ambassador violated diplomatic etiquette: Indian HC

COLOMBO (News 1st); High Commission of India in Sri Lanka Tweeted that Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zenghong has "violated  basic diplomatic etiquette, which may be a personal trait or reflecting a larger national attitude".

The Indian High Commission stated that the Chinese ambassador's view of Sri Lanka's northern neighbour may be coloured by how his own country behaves. 

The High Commission assures that India is "very different."

The High Commission tweeted, "His imputing a geopolitical context to the visit of a purported scientific research vessel is a giveaway."

Pointing out that opaqueness and debt driven agendas are now a major challenge, especially for smaller nations, the High Commission stated that the recent developments are a caution.

The Commission added, "Sri Lanka needs support, not unwanted pressure or unnecessary controversies to serve another country’s agenda."

India’s response came a day after Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong wrote an article titled: “From One-China Principle to Yuan Wang 5: Let’s Join Hands and Resolutely Safeguard Our Sovereignty, Independence and Territorial Integrity”.

In it, he referred to countries “far or near bullying Sri Lanka”. 

The Ambassador also said that Sri Lanka overcame “aggression from its northern neighbour 17 times”.

The Ambassador also referred that the “successful” docking of Chinese satellite-tracking vessel Yuan Wang 5 in the Hambantota port, and argued for China and Sri Lanka “jointly safeguarding each other’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity”.