COLOMBO/WASHINGTON, April 22 -- Sri Lanka is conducting a naval exercise with the United States at Hambanatota in a show of Colombo's firm control over its China-managed port.
The weeklong exercise known as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) began on Friday at Hambanatota port in southern Sri Lanka and was "focused on building interoperability and strengthening relationships" between the armed forces of the two countries, according to a US Navy press release.
The exercise at a port financed and run by China is loaded with symbolism: Sri Lanka is demonstrating that it retains strategic control of the harbour while the US that wants to strategically counterbalance Beijing's growing projection of military power and influence i...