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By APD writer Easwaran Rutnam
COLOMBO, March 15 (APD) - Sri Lanka has assured China it will tackle issues related to project deals between both countries.
The Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Cheng Xueyuan held a working consultation meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Tree where both sides reviewed the current progress of bilateral economic and trade cooperation and vowed to further promote pragmatic cooperation, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo said on Thursday.
Ambassador Cheng highlighted the bilateral economic and trade relation, especially major-projects cooperation as the ballast stone of Sino-Sri Lanka relations.
"In order to strive for early harvest and bring tangible benefit to the two peoples, China stands ready to work with the Sri Lankan side to accelerate the implementation of the major-projects cooperation under the framework of the “Belt and Road” Initiative,"the Chinese Embassy said.
During the meeting, Ambassador Cheng elaborated on current progress together with difficulties of the mega-projects cooperation between the two countries and called upon the Sri Lankan Government pushing for practical solutions.
Wickremasinghe thanked China for its long-term support to Sri Lanka’s economic and social development and hoped that China’s assistance and aid would benefit more grassroot people.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Sri Lanka attaches great importance to mega-projects cooperation between the two countries and his commitment to tackle the practical difficulties listed by the Chinese side.
The Prime Minister said he will urge the Ministerial committee on the development project in the southern town of Hambantota and the Ministry of Southern Development to coordinate with the concerned departments to speed up the implementation of pragmatic cooperation such as the development of the Chinese funded Hambantota Port and industrial zone, so as to bring real benefits to the Sri Lankan people in an early date, the Chinese Embassysaid.
Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy Yang Zuoyuan and Minister of Southern Development Sagala Ratnayaka participated in the meeting.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
