Sri Lanka, key shipping hub [July 10 2016]

Beijing promised to groom Sri Lanka into becoming a key shipping centre in the Indian Ocean in turn for the country’s contribution in China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative.

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the two countries agreed to take up the 21st century maritime silk road as a top priority in the bi-lateral agenda. He added, “China can help Sri Lanka to build itself into a shipping centre in the Indian Ocean and accelerate the process of improving the capacity for independent development.”

Minister Yi said the two countries agreed this will ‘better align’ the mutual development-strategy including Sri Lanka’s five year development plan, in a joint press conference after holding a vital round of bi-lateral discussions with his counterpart Mangala Samaraweera and Ministers Ravi Karunanayake and Malik Samarawickrema at the Foreign Ministry on Friday.

A comprehensive blueprint for future cooperation is to be put together based on this strategy.

The 21st Century Maritime Silk Route Economic Belt is a Chinese strategic initiative to increase investment and foster collaboration across the historic Silk Road.

(MF)