Chinese social media platform TikTok has blocked a promotional campaign by the Sri Lankan embassy on Douyin, according to media reports citing sources.
This is in response to the Sri Lankan government’s decision to suspend the visit of a Chinese ship to Hambantota port.
Additionally, there are a tonne of derogatory remarks about Sri Lanka on various social media platforms in China. Additionally, according to Daily Mirror, several Chinese stores have put off buying Sri Lankan goods.
The Sri Lankan government planned for this TikTok campaign to go live on Friday. The Sri Lankan delegation has been notified, nevertheless, that it cannot be put into practice.
The Sri Lankan government believes it was done in retaliation for India protesting Sri Lanka’s decision to postpone the port visit of the research ship “Yuan Wang 5.”
On Monday, Sri Lanka acknowledged that it had requested that China postpone the arrival of the Chinese warship Yuang Wang 5 to the port of Hambantota.
The Chinese ship Yuan Wang 5 was due to refuel at the Chinese-leased Hambantota port on August 11 and depart on August 17, according to a statement from the Sri Lankan foreign ministry.
It stated, “The Ministry has informed the People’s Republic of China Embassy in Colombo to postpone the visit of the aforementioned vessel to the Hambantota port.
The Chinese and Sri Lankan foreign ministers, Ali Sabry and Wang Yi, most recently reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and great ties between their countries at a meeting on August 4 in Phnom Penh, according to the foreign ministry.
The statement said, “During this first meeting between the two Foreign Ministers, Minister Sabry pointed to Sri Lanka’s steadfast adherence to the one-China policy, which has been a constant tenet in the country’s foreign policy.
India has voiced security concerns on the ship’s arrival in Hambantota since it seemed to be a research vessel, although the spy ship could map the ocean floor, which is essential for Chinese Navy anti-submarine operations.
The Yuan Wang 5 was constructed in 2007 and has a carrying capacity of 11,000 tonnes. It is designated as a research and survey vessel.
It might perform satellite research in the northwest section of the Indian Ocean region during this crucial visit to the important port in Sri Lanka, raising security worries for India.
The 250 km away Hambantota port was constructed using high-interest Chinese financing. The port was given to the Chinese on a 99-year lease when the Sri Lankan government struggled to repay the debt it had borrowed from China.
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