China-Sri Lanka Cooperation: News & Discussions

[TaiShang]

China to Fund Friendship Village for Sri Lankan Families Affected by Disaster
2016-05-31

Residents wait for rescue in Kelaniya District, Sri Lanka, May 20, 2016. [Photo: Xinhua/A. Rajhitha]

China announced on Tuesday it would fund the construction of a Sri Lanka-China friendship village to house families affected by the recent natural disaster.

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yi Xianliang made the announcement after handing over a consignment of emergency relief supplies donated by China to the Sri Lankan government at the country's main airport.

This batch of relief supplies, valued at 15 million yuan (2.28 million U.S. dollars), includes 1,000 tents and 2,000 folding beds.

Sri Lanka's Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, said China has also promised 1.5 million U.S. dollars' aid for constructing houses in the friendship village.

The minister said the funds and the relief items donated by China will help boom bilateral relations.

"As the sincerest friend of Sri Lanka, China will do the best for Sri Lanka to conquer disaster,"said the Chinese ambassador.

Heavy rain followed by floods and landslides in Sri Lanka two weeks ago killed about 100 people with many more still missing. Over 500,000 people have been affected by the adverse weather.

 

[cochine]

Its costed a fund, no fair.

 

[Tiqiu]

Sri Lanka Backs Talks To Resolve South China Sea Disputes
Press Trust of India | Updated: May 31, 2016 20:41 IST

Kabir Hashim, General Secretary of the ruling United National Party, said China is a significant force to maintain regional peace and development. (File Photo)



Beijing, China: The South China Sea disputes should be resolved through bilateral talks between China and the countries concerned rather than being subject to external forces, a leader of Sri Lanka's ruling party said today.

Kabir Hashim, General Secretary of ruling United National Party, made the remarks during his meeting with Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).




"Regional affairs should be settled through consultations among those directly concerned, rather than being subject to external forces," Mr Hashim was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency.

China has been seeking support to its stand for bilateral settlement of issues as a tribunal appointed by UN Convention on Law of Seas (UNCLOS) geared up to deliver its judgement. China has boycotted the tribunal.

Beijing says over 40 countries back its stand.

Mr Hashim said China is a significant force to maintain regional peace and development and Sri Lanka believes the CPC and the Chinese government will play a more active role in this regard.

http://m.ndtv.com/world-news/sri-lanka-backs-talks-to-resolve-south-china-sea-disputes-1414108

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Thanks Lanka bro.

Heard that BD supports China as well !

http://english.cri.cn/12394/2016/05/30/3746s929281.htm
"The Bangladeshi president said his country firmly supports China's position on the South China Sea issue and believes the disputes should be resolved through direct negotiation and consultation by parties concerned."

 

[Gibbs]

China Just Asked For 15,000 Acres Of Land In Sri Lanka For A Million Worker SEZ

China just requested 15,000 acres of land in southern Sri Lanka for the creation of a special economic zone that will reputedly create one million jobs, according to the country’s Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade.

15,000 acres is roughly 60 square kilometers, which is significantly larger than Hartford, Connecticut or Providence, Rhode Island.

Land in Hambantota. This area is mostly rural, with very little development. Image: Wade Shepard.

This expanse of land, if granted, will be in the Hambantota region, which has been a punchline of sorts over the past couple of years in Sri Lanka due to its massive and expensive infrastructure projects that have so far failed to come to fruition. This area includes what is probably the world’s emptiest international airport, a massive $1.4 billion deep sea port that is running at under-capacity, a world-class conference center that doesn’t really host many conferences, and a seldom used cricket stadium. These projects were almost completely funded with Chinese money, and helped bury Sri Lanka $8 billion deep in debt to China.

It was once the dream of Sri Lanka’s former president to turn Hambantota, his extremely rural hometown, into the country’s number two city, and he spared no expense trying to make this happen. When he unexpectedly lost the election in 2015 to Maithripala Sirisena, who ran on a platform which accused the incumbent of being too favorable to China and trashing relations with India and the West, many big Chinese-invested projects were called off. Construction on the Hambantota deep sea port was halted and SriLankan Airline’s hub at Mattala International Airport was liquidated, as Hambantota proverbially ground to a halt.


However, once relations with India and the West were “re-balanced” — which meant that the UN went easy on its war crimes charges, the EUreinstated GSP-Plus trade concessions, and the United States began delivering aid once again, among other things — China was put back on the front burner and the country’s big developments in Sri Lanka began rolling once again.

Now, relations between Sri Lanka and China appear to be booming, and the Hambantota dream is looking to be moving closer to a reality. Phase II of the deep sea port is now being constructed, the Mattala airport is looking for private investors, and the SEZ, if actually created, could potentially provide the synergy to pull it all together.

However, it must be noted that China’s proposed SEZ will not only be for Chinese companies. Japan, India, and Singapore have also expressed interest in jumping in.

Like many other countries along the Belt and Road, such as Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Serbia, Sri Lanka is engaging in a multi-vector policy where it attempts to be friendly with all global powers rather than showing a preference to any one in particular. To these ends, the country is concurrently negotiating a free trade agreement with China along with other big trade deals with India and Singapore.

Sri Lanka is scheduled to release a long awaited National Trade Policy at the end of August, whereupon the world will see where its allegiances currently lie.



I'm the author of Ghost Cities of China. I'm currently traveling the New Silk Road doing research for a new book. Follow by RSS.

@Shotgunner51 @AndrewJin @Godman @Saradiel @NGV-H @Nilgiri

http://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshe...anka-for-a-million-worker-sez/2/#1e7b80787f5e

 

[Godman]

The original plan before 2005 was to create industrial zones, refineries and power plants to develop the region when the Hambantota port was built
airports ,convention centers and stadiums ruined the original plan and ended up turning every project to a white elephant leaving the Port underutilized.
Hambantota is not a developed region and things like stadiums and convention centers should be placed in places like Galle.
Vast majority of Hambantota is rural and large amounts of people lack water and electricity.

This is only the early steps for true development as I always say Hambantota needs to develop industrially attracting population to urban areas and begin urbanization. However the SEZ must be away from major hotels and resorts

Sri Lanka is scheduled to release a long awaited National Trade Policy at the end of August, whereupon the world will see where its allegiances currently lie.

Not sure what this has anything to do with "allegiances"

 

[Gibbs]

The original plan before 2005 was to create industrial zones, refineries and power plants to develop the region when the Hambantota port was built
airports ,convention centers and stadiums ruined the original plan and ended up turning every project to a white elephant leaving the Port underutilized.
Hambantota is not a developed region and things like stadiums and convention centers should be placed in places like Galle.
Vast majority of Hambantota is rural and large amounts of people lack water and electricity.

This is only the early steps for true development as I always say Hambantota needs to develop industrially attracting population to urban areas and begin urbanization. However the SEZ must be away from major hotels and resorts


Not sure what this has anything to do with "allegiances"

What would be the environmental impact be on such a humongous industrialization project ? That region of the country is a very vital bio diversity hot spot, With a number of forest reserves and national wildlife parks.. Will be a disaster

 

[Mangus Ortus Novem]

Sri Lanka has to decide whether it serves the need of its peoples through industrialisation and development?

Or is Sri Lanka serves the needs of southern hegemon and follows its dictats?

 

[Stag112]

Sri Lanka has to decide whether it serves the need of its peoples through industrialisation and development?

Or is Sri Lanka serves the needs of southern hegemon and follows its dictats?

Are you trolls taught to throw such fashionable words mindlessly? After what china is doing in SCS, you are here bullshytting about others supposed hegemony?

 

[Gibbs]

Sri Lanka has to decide whether it serves the need of its peoples through industrialisation and development?

Or is Sri Lanka serves the needs of southern hegemon and follows its dictats?

Sri Lanka has to decide whats in best interest to them, Not anybody else.. The article rightly and clearly explains the current foreign policy of Sri Lanka

Like many other countries along the Belt and Road, such as Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Serbia, Sri Lanka is engaging in a multi-vector policy where it attempts to be friendly with all global powers rather than showing a preference to any one in particular. To these ends, the country is concurrently negotiating a free trade agreement with China along with other big trade deals with India and Singapore.

 

[Nilgiri]

China Just Asked For 15,000 Acres Of Land In Sri Lanka For A Million Worker SEZ

China just requested 15,000 acres of land in southern Sri Lanka for the creation of a special economic zone that will reputedly create one million jobs, according to the country’s Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade.

15,000 acres is roughly 60 square kilometers, which is significantly larger than Hartford, Connecticut or Providence, Rhode Island.

Land in Hambantota. This area is mostly rural, with very little development. Image: Wade Shepard.

This expanse of land, if granted, will be in the Hambantota region, which has been a punchline of sorts over the past couple of years in Sri Lanka due to its massive and expensive infrastructure projects that have so far failed to come to fruition. This area includes what is probably the world’s emptiest international airport, a massive $1.4 billion deep sea port that is running at under-capacity, a world-class conference center that doesn’t really host many conferences, and a seldom used cricket stadium. These projects were almost completely funded with Chinese money, and helped bury Sri Lanka $8 billion deep in debt to China.

It was once the dream of Sri Lanka’s former president to turn Hambantota, his extremely rural hometown, into the country’s number two city, and he spared no expense trying to make this happen. When he unexpectedly lost the election in 2015 to Maithripala Sirisena, who ran on a platform which accused the incumbent of being too favorable to China and trashing relations with India and the West, many big Chinese-invested projects were called off. Construction on the Hambantota deep sea port was halted and SriLankan Airline’s hub at Mattala International Airport was liquidated, as Hambantota proverbially ground to a halt.


However, once relations with India and the West were “re-balanced” — which meant that the UN went easy on its war crimes charges, the EUreinstated GSP-Plus trade concessions, and the United States began delivering aid once again, among other things — China was put back on the front burner and the country’s big developments in Sri Lanka began rolling once again.

Now, relations between Sri Lanka and China appear to be booming, and the Hambantota dream is looking to be moving closer to a reality. Phase II of the deep sea port is now being constructed, the Mattala airport is looking for private investors, and the SEZ, if actually created, could potentially provide the synergy to pull it all together.

However, it must be noted that China’s proposed SEZ will not only be for Chinese companies. Japan, India, and Singapore have also expressed interest in jumping in.

Like many other countries along the Belt and Road, such as Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Serbia, Sri Lanka is engaging in a multi-vector policy where it attempts to be friendly with all global powers rather than showing a preference to any one in particular. To these ends, the country is concurrently negotiating a free trade agreement with China along with other big trade deals with India and Singapore.

Sri Lanka is scheduled to release a long awaited National Trade Policy at the end of August, whereupon the world will see where its allegiances currently lie.



I'm the author of Ghost Cities of China. I'm currently traveling the New Silk Road doing research for a new book. Follow by RSS.

@Shotgunner51 @AndrewJin @Godman @Saradiel @NGV-H @Nilgiri

http://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshe...anka-for-a-million-worker-sez/2/#1e7b80787f5e

Best of luck to SL, sounds like a good multi-national effort led by China. It makes sense since China is the country in the world most flush with excess liquidity and domestic overcapacity in total absolute terms.

Where exactly is this area on the map of SL?

 

[Shotgunner51]

China Just Asked For 15,000 Acres Of Land In Sri Lanka For A Million Worker SEZ

China just requested 15,000 acres of land in southern Sri Lanka for the creation of a special economic zone that will reputedly create one million jobs, according to the country’s Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade.

15,000 acres is roughly 60 square kilometers, which is significantly larger than Hartford, Connecticut or Providence, Rhode Island.

Land in Hambantota. This area is mostly rural, with very little development. Image: Wade Shepard.

This expanse of land, if granted, will be in the Hambantota region, which has been a punchline of sorts over the past couple of years in Sri Lanka due to its massive and expensive infrastructure projects that have so far failed to come to fruition. This area includes what is probably the world’s emptiest international airport, a massive $1.4 billion deep sea port that is running at under-capacity, a world-class conference center that doesn’t really host many conferences, and a seldom used cricket stadium. These projects were almost completely funded with Chinese money, and helped bury Sri Lanka $8 billion deep in debt to China.

It was once the dream of Sri Lanka’s former president to turn Hambantota, his extremely rural hometown, into the country’s number two city, and he spared no expense trying to make this happen. When he unexpectedly lost the election in 2015 to Maithripala Sirisena, who ran on a platform which accused the incumbent of being too favorable to China and trashing relations with India and the West, many big Chinese-invested projects were called off. Construction on the Hambantota deep sea port was halted and SriLankan Airline’s hub at Mattala International Airport was liquidated, as Hambantota proverbially ground to a halt.


However, once relations with India and the West were “re-balanced” — which meant that the UN went easy on its war crimes charges, the EUreinstated GSP-Plus trade concessions, and the United States began delivering aid once again, among other things — China was put back on the front burner and the country’s big developments in Sri Lanka began rolling once again.

Now, relations between Sri Lanka and China appear to be booming, and the Hambantota dream is looking to be moving closer to a reality. Phase II of the deep sea port is now being constructed, the Mattala airport is looking for private investors, and the SEZ, if actually created, could potentially provide the synergy to pull it all together.

However, it must be noted that China’s proposed SEZ will not only be for Chinese companies. Japan, India, and Singapore have also expressed interest in jumping in.

Like many other countries along the Belt and Road, such as Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Serbia, Sri Lanka is engaging in a multi-vector policy where it attempts to be friendly with all global powers rather than showing a preference to any one in particular. To these ends, the country is concurrently negotiating a free trade agreement with China along with other big trade deals with India and Singapore.

Sri Lanka is scheduled to release a long awaited National Trade Policy at the end of August, whereupon the world will see where its allegiances currently lie.



I'm the author of Ghost Cities of China. I'm currently traveling the New Silk Road doing research for a new book. Follow by RSS.

@Shotgunner51 @AndrewJin @Godman @Saradiel @NGV-H @Nilgiri

http://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshe...anka-for-a-million-worker-sez/2/#1e7b80787f5e

Thanks for tagging, wish this could bring inclusive growth to SL!

Other than constructing infrastructure, SEZ (Special Economic Zone) is an expanded version of Industrial Zone (Industrial Parks, Corridor, etc) to meet several strategic objectives.

1. They would increase demand for Chinese-made machinery and equipment, while making it easier to provide post-sales product support
2. By producing overseas and exporting to Europe or North America, Chinese companies would be able to avoid potential trade frictions and barriers.
3. The zones would assist China’s efforts to boost its own domestic restructuring and move up the value chain at home e.g. "Industry 4.0" or "Made in China 2025" priorities.
4. They were intended to create economies of scale for overseas investment, and in particular, to assist less experienced SME to venture overseas “in groups.”

They were viewed as a way to transfer one element of China’s own success to other developing countries, a strategy helpful for recipient countries, while also benefiting China. By now about twenty SEZ are established including: Pakistan (Haier-Ruba Home Appliance Industrial Zon), Zambia, Thailand, Cambodia, Nigeria, Mauritius, Russia (St. Peterburg Baltic Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Ussuriysk Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Tomsk Siberia Industrial and Trade Cooperation Zone), Venezuela, Vietnam, Mexico, Ethiopia, Egypt, Algeria, South Korea, Indonesia，etc.

The China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone is one example, lead investment by China-Africa TEDA Investment Co, Ltd.Like all SEZ's, this zone is industrial in nature, it's all about manufacturing i.e. "Made in Egypt". Major firms here include Jushi Egypt Fiberglass Industry, XD High Voltage Equipment Company and Muyang Egypt Industry. The zone is under expansion now, ultimately it will bring 150~180 Chinese companies here, total investment US$2+ billion, creating 40,000 local jobs, generate significant tax revenues for Egyptian budget as well as their Forex reserves.​

Sources:
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/...-1285275962946/Farole_SEZsAfrica_03.09.11.pdf
http://www.american.edu/sis/faculty/upload/Brautigam-Chinese-Investment-in.pdf

 

[Gibbs]

Best of luck to SL, sounds like a good multi-national effort led by China. It makes sense since China is the country in the world most flush with excess liquidity and domestic overcapacity in total absolute terms.

Where exactly is this area on the map of SL?

Deep south.. Constituency of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, The complementary infrastructure already in place, Highways, Huge transshipment port, Bunkering facilities, Hotels etc

 

[Nilgiri]

Deep south.. Constituency of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, The complementary infrastructure already in place, Highways, Huge transshipment port, Bunkering facilities, Hotels etc

So close to Galle?

 

[Gibbs]

So close to Galle?

Galle is South West, Hambantota is deep south 70 Km or so further south

 

[graphican]

This will make China create a yet another angle to confront Indian Navy. Good for China and Sri Lanka, bad for India and USA dreams.