Sri Lanka and China have lot to learn from each other, says Port City official

(Xinhua) Colombo: Sri Lanka and China have a lot to learn from each other as its people have been closely linked through ties of religion, culture and trade for generations, a Chinese company official said here.

Managing Director of the Colombo Port City Project, Jiang Houliang, speaking at the opening ceremony of the Ranbhumi National Rally for Unity in Sri Lanka, said that while the two countries shared a relationship that is older than either of their modern civilisations, it is still a living one and is enriched by each successive generation.

The Ranbhumi National Rally, organised by the MTV/MBC Network, National Youth Services Council and the Colombo Port City in a bid to join with the nation-building efforts, commenced from Thalaimannar in the northern part of the island.

The program is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, symbolising national unity and reconciliation.

The rally, aiming to involve all Sri Lankans in the country’s development drive, will travel across 1,500 villages in the country in 40 days from the northern Madu to Puwarasankullam, Vavuniya and reach Mankulam.

Speaking at the ceremony, Jiang said that Sri Lanka was a country that was on the cusp of greatness in the modern world and there was a collective dream of unity, harmony, of peace and co- existence that existed amongst its people.

The multi-billion dollar Colombo Port City project is Sri Lanka ‘s biggest foreign investment which is expected to attract large scale investment following its completion.

However, the project had been suspended in March by the new Government which took office in January after concerns were raised over some aspects of the project.