The Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative projects in Sri Lanka have not only laid a solid foundation and provided strong impetus for Sri Lanka to get out of the economic crisis and resume economic and social development, but also created thousands of jobs for local people, Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said at a recent seminar on BRI cooperation between China and Sri Lanka, organized by the Asia Progress Forum.

“Sri Lanka is one of the first countries to participate in the BRI Initiative and has witnessed fruitful results of BRI cooperation over the past 10 years. The major projects between our two countries, such as the Katunayake Expressway, the Southern Expressway, the CICT, the Hambantota Port and the Colombo Port City, have not only laid a solid foundation and provided strong impetus for Sri Lanka to get out of the crisis and resume economic and social development, but also created thousands of jobs for local people. At the same time, Chinese enterprises have also actively fulfilled their social responsibilities by providing assistance to the poverty alleviation and donated a large amount of materials to help people overcome the economic and livelihood crisis,” he said.

Facts have shown that BRI is an effective platform to advance international cooperation, a road towards future development, peace and friendship that enables China, and countries around the world, to discuss development, to jointly build peace and prosperity, and to share in the development opportunities and outcomes, and a vivid example of building a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.

The Ambassador said BRI will only create win-win cooperation that benefits all instead of leading to the so-called “debt trap” trumped up by some parties with a hidden agenda to smear China. It will lend strong impetus to helping Sri Lanka get rid of the “poverty trap” and “trap of non-development”.

“The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held in Beijing next week. Leaders and representatives of over 90 countries including President Xi Jinping and President Ranil Wickremesinghe will gather in Beijing for this great event. We firmly believe that this forum will draw up a better blueprint for China, Sri Lanka, and the rest of the world, to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation in the future and provide an even better opportunity for China and Sri Lanka to further advance our cooperation.