Over 100,000 employment opportunities would be created while over US dollars 5 billion would be invested with the creation of the Special Economic Zone in Hambantota China’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yi Xianliang said. This would be in three years.
“I believe this zone will be the most important economic activity for this government and particular for Hambantota people,” Xianliang said.
The ambassador said over 50 Chinese business people who contributed to Sri Lanka during the past would also be potential investors for this Sri Lanka-China industrial zone.
Chinese Ambassador pledged that Sri Lanka’s law and environmental standards will be complied with thorough out the whole process.
“This is not only my promise but also all the Chinese business people. We will respect the decision taken by Sri Lankan government and its people.”
“In the past 50 or 60 years China affords nearly 20 billion US dollars financial assistance including loans, donations to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the number two to get the most support from China in the world,” he said.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said creating the special area for Chinese investors was aimed to making the debt-burdened Hambantota port viable.
“The Hambantota port was going to sink us (Sri Lanka), but we are now trying to leverage it to create new economic activity and boost growth,” Wickremesinghe said. (SS)
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