To give impetus to the Government of Sri Lanka’s New Economic Policy, “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing, under the Economic Diplomacy Program of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Sri Lanka, hosted “Think Investment: Think Sri Lanka” an ‘Investment, Trade and Tourism Seminar’ on 17 December 2019. This brought more than 200 Chinese entrepreneurs, media and government officials representing trade, investment and tourism sectors under one roof of the Embassy auditorium. The main objective of organising this event was to highlight the opportunities presented by the Sri Lanka Government’s National Policy Framework “Vistas for Prosperity and Splendour” in trade, investments and tourism sectors to China.
Speaking on the occasion the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku said that China’s growth, encourages Sri Lanka to achieve more better economic and social progress. Sri Lanka and China are strategic economic development partners. The trade between China and Sri Lanka reached to new heights during the past ten years. Sri Lanka’s exports to China has risen from a mere 37 Million USD in 2007 to 240 Million USD in 2018. Investment from China into Sri Lanka has been increasing and with the investment of the Colombo Port City, China has become the Single Largest FDI investor in Sri Lanka.
During the Seminar Minister Commercial Alexi Gunasekera highlighted the key points of the new Sri Lanka Government’s Economic Policy Paper, the “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor”. He said that the current Government, under the leadership of the President, has proposed a new vision to the country and its priority was National Security. The Island nation, as Marco Polo once said, the “best island of its size”, is fully secured to visit. Citing the People Centric Economic Development policy of the government, he further stated that there are plethora of opportunities for Chinese Entrepreneurs to be partners in the development process of Sri Lanka. He further elaborated on Sri Lanka becoming a technology based society and requested Chinese investors to look for opportunities in physical resources development and sustainable environment management process.
Deputy Chief of Mission K K Yoganaandan during his presentation said that the Colombo Port City is a technological wonder and he called-on the Chinese investors to look at the Port City as an unrivalled economic opportunity. Using the latest sustainable city designs and smart city concepts, the Colombo Port City is poised to become the hub of South Asia for accommodation, work, education and entertainment, he said . The project is also expected to help Sri Lanka to play a more robust role in international financial supply services.
Ambassador Dr Karunasena Kodithuwakku, Deputy Chief of Mission K K Yoganaadan, Minister Commercial Alexi Gunasekera, Sri Lanka Regional Manager of Sri Lankan Airlines Chinthaka Weerasingha, Dinithi Weerasena and Mihiravi Dissanayake and other officials of Embassy of Sri Lanka attended the Event.
