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7 MoUs to be signed with China during President’s visit
View(s):By Damith Wickremasekara
Seven memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering, among others, investment, the power sector, fisheries, and the economy will be signed during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s four-day official visit to China beginning on Tuesday, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told the Sunday Times that, in addition to the MOUs, the main topics to be taken up for discussion would include China’s support for economic recovery, aligning with its assistance for the International Monetary Fund’s debt-restructuring programme.
President Dissanayake is undertaking the state visit to China from January 14 to 17 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.
During the visit, President Dissanayake will hold bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping on a range of areas of mutual interest and will also meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the National People’s Congress’s Standing Committee Chairman, Zhao Leji.
Minister Herath said the proposed MOUs would also include sectors such as agriculture, tourism, education, and technology. He said Sri Lanka would seek China’s support to digitalise the state-run televisions—the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and the Independent Television Network.
The revival of road development projects with Chinese funding will feature during the talks.
The MOU on the fisheries sector will cover the aspects of social welfare, which includes providing a housing scheme for the fishermen, while in the agriculture sector, the government will obtain support to introduce new technology.
The introduction of solar power projects with Chinese assistance will also be covered in one of the MOUs.
Talks on the education sector will focus on obtaining free school uniform material and a smart board project for schools.
The minister said two business forums would be held, and one of them would be with state-run companies, including China Harbour, Sinopec, and other companies, including those in the hotel sector.
The president will visit techno parks and vehicle assembling plants in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, to look into the possibility of attracting investments.
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