Belt and Road Initiative to provide hard and soft connectivity: Marapana

The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China will provide hard and soft connectivity in the Indian Ocean that is required for rapid economic and social development, especially in Sri Lanka, visiting Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana said on Tuesday in Beijing.

He made the remark at a celebration marking the 60th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relationship and the 65th anniversary of the Agreement on Rice for Rubber organised by the Sri Lankan Embassy there.

“The longstanding, close and friendly relations between the two countries are built on a solid foundation of historic, economic and cultural ties based on friendship, cooperation, mutual trust and understanding and respect for the territorial integrity of the two countries,” said Marapana.

He also noted that Sri Lanka was very keen to reach an early conclusion to the Free Trade Agreement with China in the near future that would expand more trade avenues for both countries.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China Karunasena Kodituwakku said at the event that his Chinese friends were fully aware about Sri Lanka, its popularity as tourist destination, and the historical as well as contemporary warm friendship between our two countries.

“Both countries have assisted each other whenever necessity arose,” said Kodituwakku. “I wish most sincerely to see friendship between our countries to become increasingly stronger.”

Kodituwakku also said that China had now committed to the global community and was prepared to share the prosperity it had accomplished in the past two decades with the rest of the world.