The Indian Ocean must not be turned into a theatre of major-power rivalry, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong said on Wednesday, insisting it should instead serve as a platform for cooperation and shared benefit among nations.
“We consistently advocate that the ocean should not be an arena for major power contests, but a broad stage for mutual benefit and cooperation,” Qi said, adding that the Indian Ocean should evolve into “an ocean of peace, development, openness and cooperation.”
The Ambassador emphasised that such a vision reflected the common interests of regional and international actors, warning that opposing approaches would fail to gain support.
Addressing a forum on regional cooperation in Colombo, Qi highlighted the long-standing significance of the Indian Ocean as a conduit for global trade and cultural exchange, citing historical ties between China and Indian Ocean nations.
Sri Lanka, he said, occupies a strategically critical position at the heart of these maritime routes.
The remarks come against the backdrop of intensifying US enforcement operations under Project Freedom in the Hormuz approaches and broader Indian Ocean, coalition resistance among traditional US allies and Beijing’s parallel push to test the US blockade with sanctioned tankers.
China’s diplomatic positioning in Colombo has sharpened in recent weeks alongside its calls for restraint over Hormuz. Sri Lanka, sitting on the major east-west shipping lane that runs south of the island, is among the South Asian states most exposed to any escalation in the Indian Ocean theatre.
