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Chinese navy ships docked in Bangladesh last weekend, sending ripples through Indian Ocean geopolitics – and raising eyebrows in New Delhi.
The visit marked the first time foreign vessels had set anchor in the South Asian nation under its new interim government, which took power after the ousting of former leader Sheikh Hasina in August amid student-led protests.
China’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, emphasised that the port call showed relations would continue to grow regardless of recent political shifts.
Chinese naval training ship Qi Jiguang and amphibious dock landing ship Jinggangshan arrived in Chittagong on October 12 for what China’s defence ministry called a three-day goodwill visit.
The aim of the visit, which includes courtesy calls, was to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen cooperation with the Bangladesh Navy as part of efforts to build “a maritime community with a shared future”, the ministry said.
However, India views the visit “as part of a continuous Chinese build-up in Bangladesh”, said Frédéric Grare, a senior research fellow at the Australian National University’s National Security College.