The 9th China-South Asia Expo, which opened on June 19 in Kunming, China, will conclude tomorrow (June 24).
This year’s event held under the theme “Solidarity and Coordination for Common Development, has attracted over 1,400 companies from 54 countries and regions, with Sri Lanka as the Guest of Honour country and Thailand as the special partner nation.
China-Sri Lanka bilateral trade reached a record high of USD 5.36 billion in 2024, representing a 13.4% year-on-year increase. This makes Sri Lanka China’s fastest-growing trade partner in South Asia.
The Sri Lankan pavilion was officially declared open by Sri Lanka’s Minister of Trade and Commerce – Wasantha Samarasinghe and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment – Arun Hemachandra, who jointly led the country’s high-level delegation to the prestigious regional event.
CGTN’s Ms. Li Qiuyuan spoke with Mr. Kusal Perera, a political analyst and writer for ‘Sri Lanka Mirror’, about his expectations for the expo.
Speaking, Mr. Perera said that Sri Lanka needs to see how the ‘export basket’ can be diversified from the traditional export goods such as tea, in order to make the most of this platform to boost bilateral trade and engagement with China.
When asked which emerging areas such as energy transformation, digital economy and low carbon development seem to be the most promising for the island nation, Mr. Perera highlighted the importance of a combination of energy, technology and environment. “But in the process, we also have to have our national economy planned to accommodate all that,” he emphasised, adding that it will be a long process for Sri Lanka.
He further commented : “I see China opening up instead of getting into protectionism like Europe. It’s basically the second largest economy in the world… still expanding… still improving… still developing…”
China’s economic openness for all South Asian countries is a huge opportunity in a global economy that now retreats with regulated and protected markets. Protectionism would not be a catalyst for economic growth. We in South Asia have to be open too. China is already open and its economy is growing on global trade. It’s their openness that has taken them everywhere” he adds.
The Israeli government has said it agreed to the ceasefire proposal after “achieving the objectives” of its attacks on Iran. According to the statement, Israel has removed Iran’s “dual immediate existential threat” from nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
It also says Israel has “inflicted severe damage on the military leadership, and destroyed dozens of central Iranian government targets”.
The statement goes on to say that Israeli forces, in the last day, have “severely struck government targets in the heart of Tehran, eliminating hundreds of Basij operatives” – a militia the Iranian government often uses to suppress protests – and “eliminating another senior nuclear scientist”.
“Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defence and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” the statement adds.
Earlier, Iran state TV news channel IRINN says a ceasefire has been “imposed” on Israel following the “successful” Iranian attack on the US base in Qatar.
State TV said in a statement that Trump “begged” for a ceasefire following Iran’s attack. The statement was read aloud by the presenter.
The statement also hailed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Army and praised the “resistance” of Iranians.
The statement also called Iran’s attack on the US base in Qatar as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ “successful” response to the US attacking three Iranian nuclear sites, while Qatar said all missiles were intercepted.
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (June 24) rejected the bail applications of 03 suspects, including Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne – a consultant neurosurgeon attached to the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, who were who were arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
Accordingly, Colombo Chief Magistrate – Thanuja Lakmali ordered that the suspects be further remanded until July 08.
The three suspects were arrested on June 17 in connection with the alleged sale of medicines at higher prices through a third party.
In line with the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, the government plans to upgrade the Colombo Central Bus Stand within the next year.
In line with the same initiative, 50 major bus stands nationwide are scheduled for renovation, with assistance from the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The renovation of the Colombo Central Bus Stand will include the refurbishment of key facilities such as the canteen, rest area, ticket counters, administrative unit, operations room and driver quarters.
Established in 1964, the Colombo Central Bus Stand spans 1.42 hectares and currently handles between 1,500 to 2,000 buses daily.
These details were revealed during a discussion held yesterday (June 23) at the Presidential Secretariat on the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary of Defence, Senior Officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force and other government officials. (President’s Media Division)
