The vessel has sailed into Valparaiso’s waters as the geopolitical winds shift in the western hemisphere
“We determined that it is not appropriate to authorise this health operation to function on the ship’s facilities,” the ministry said.
The Silk Road Ark is a Chinese naval ship equipped with 14 clinical departments, seven diagnostic units and a rescue helicopter.
It is a symbol of China’s soft power and has been on a 220-day voyage to about a dozen countries in the western hemisphere since late December, arriving in waters off the Chilean port city of Valparaiso on Wednesday.
