​SL ready to resume Port City project -China

5 December 2015 03:08 pm

The Sri Lankan Government has expressed its willingness to resume the suspended Colombo Port City Project, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. South Asian Division Counsellor and Director Chen Feng told Sri Lankan journalists visiting China that the Chinese Government welcomed the SL Government’s decision to resume the project.
“We think the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port are important for the development of Sri Lanka which is a very important part of the Silk Route. China is developing fast and we want our neighbours including Sri Lanka to benefit from this,” he said.
Mr. Cheng said the issues with regard to Chinese projects, arising soon after the new government assumed office, had been ironed out and many of these projects had resumed work.
“China understands that a new government will re-evaluate projects that were started by the previous government”, he said. “The purpose is to understand the common prosperity of the region and Sri Lanka is not only an important part of the Maritime Silk Route but also a country with traditional links to China.” When asked if he was sure that the new government will allow the Port City Project to resume work, Mr. Chen said the two governments had been in constant contact and that all Chinese projects had gradually resumed work.
“We are in close contact with the company and they say the Sri Lankan government is reacting positively. Suspending the project did cause a few problems but they have been resolved and the new government expressed its willingness to continue with the project. We understand that they need some time to clear some procedures,” he said.
When asked whether Chinese companies were skeptical of investing in Sri Lanka after the Colombo Port City Project fiasco, Mr. Chen said the Chinese government would encourage firms to invest in Sri Lanka and to look for more opportunities in the Island. He also stressed that improving relations with Sri Lanka had a purely economical motive. “We are not here to compete with other regional powers, our interests are economical,” Mr. Chen said.(NABEELA HUSSAIN)