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World

The Chinese spy ship and the dangers of debt-trap diplomacy

18 August 2022

4:00 PM

18 August 2022

4:00 PM

A Chinese spy ship that docked in Sri Lanka on Tuesday in defiance of Indian and western protests is the latest symbol of China’s power and ambition in the Indian Ocean. It is also a stark demonstration and warning of the harder edges of Beijing’s debt trap diplomacy.

The Yuan Wang 5, bristling with satellite dishes and antennas, is described by China as a ‘research and scientific vessel’.

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