---
title: "Hambantota port — Definition & Meaning | Model Diplomat"
description: "Hambantota Port is a deep-sea port in Sri Lanka leased to a Chinese firm for 99 years in 2017 due to debt issues, impacting global shipping routes."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/hambantota-port"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Hambantota Port is a deep-sea port in southern Sri Lanka that Colombo leased to a Chinese state firm for 99 years in 2017 after failing to service its construction debt.
- Why is Hambantota Port called an example of 'debt-trap diplomacy'?
- What was the significance of the Yuan Wang 5 docking in 2022?
- How does Hambantota fit into India's security concerns?
- Who controls Hambantota Port today and under what terms?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

Hambantota Port is a deep-sea port in southern Sri Lanka that Colombo leased to a Chinese state firm for 99 years in 2017 after failing to service its construction debt.

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In December 2017, Sri Lanka leased Hambantota Port to China Merchants Port Holdings for 99 years in exchange for about US$1.12 billion, a deal often cited as the textbook case of Chinese "debt-trap diplomacy."

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