Chile Denies Onboard Care by Chinese Medical Ship as U.S. Pressure Mounts

Chinese medical ship Silk Road Ark after arriving at the port city of Valparaiso, Chile, February 27, 2026. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido

Chile denied permission for a Chinese hospital ship to provide medical services onboard, saying the vessel lacked authorization to treat local residents, a decision that came amid heightened pressure from the U.S. over a proposed undersea cable project.

The medical ship Silk Road Ark is currently on a voyage to about a dozen countries and arrived in waters off the Chilean port city of Valparaiso on Wednesday.

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by Reuters

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