It was thought that China's eagerness to help Sri Lanka was part of this strategy, and that here were hopes that Sri Lanka would allow Chinese warships to operate out of Sri Lanka.

Bito-onon said the Chinese warship only stopped tailing them when their boat was already navigating around the Half Moon Shoal, an area where a Chinese gunboat ran aground last year.

While China's navy "retains a decidedly regional focus," the report says Chinese warships "will play a growing role in protecting China's far-flung interests."