Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) President Chen Dongxiao said yesterday that Chinese infrastructure development in Sri Lanka will greatly help the country attract more foreign direct investments in the future.
He said that cooperation in various fields between China and Sri Lanka has flourished in the past decades, contributing to the sustainable development of Sri Lanka and bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries.
“China will always stand together with Sri Lanka to strive for achieving sustainable social and economic development goals following the international multinational agendas which will help improve the financial, social and economic connectivity between Sri Lanka and the world,” he said.
Addressing the media briefing in Shanghai yesterday,Chen Dongxiao said that China came forward to support infrastructure development at a time the foreign investors refused to come to Sri Lanka and development initiatives were halted during the war period. “In order to acive these goals, we set up the ‘China-Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies Centre’ (CSLCSC) at the Pathfinder Foundation (PF) headquarters recently,”Chen Dongxiao said.
The center will undertake research and studies to recognise the sectors of economic cooperation, investment and promote people to people relations that would serve to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. The Centre is also expected to provide a linkage, facilitating contacts between think-tanks, academics and researchers of the two countries, whose contributions would take Sino-Sri Lanka relations to a higher level of excellence,” he added.
“We have an idea of promoting research facilities between the two countries which will further help create more opportunities in economic,social and cultural development. He said the Sri Lankan government needs to consider providing a more conducive security environment for the smooth implementation of ongoing projects,” Chen Dongxiao said.
“We must work together to improve laws and reduce institutional costs for the success of these projects,” he added. It is also very difficulty to progress without enhancing people to people contacts,” he added.
“Sri Lanka has been an active player in maritime cooperation and marine protection activities in the region. Hence, We have planned to strengthen maritime cooperation between China and the Indian Ocean region in order to protect marine environment,” he said. Institute for International Strategic Studies and Center for Asia Pacific Studies Senior Fellow Liu Zongyi said since the two countries established diplomatic relations 60 years ago, China and Sri Lanka have had a close bi-lateral corporation supporting each other on issues concerning their core and significant interests.
“Chinese investments in Sri Lanka would defiantly stimulate other countries to invest in Sri Lanka,” Liu Zongyi said.