The Minister of Export Development and International Trade G. L. Peiris informed a delegation of Chinese investors of the opportunities available for investment in Sri Lanka. The Minister’s meeting with the investors was a follow up of the meeting that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had with President Hu Jintao of China yesterday.

The Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Mr. Ye Dabo who introduced the Minister to the investors, said that at yesterday’s meeting the two Presidents had discussed matters of mutual interest, where President Hu Jintao said he was pleased with the good relations that existed between the two countries. He had responded favourably to President Rajapaksa’s request that more Chinese investors be encouraged to invest in Sri Lanka, resulting in this special meeting with the Minister and Chinese investors.

There was a cross-section of investors present from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, and included key personalities in banking, communications, ship building, Digital TV, tourism and resort development and retail marketing.

Minister Peiris informed the prospective investors of the opportunities and advantages of investing in Sri Lanka, especially in view of the facilities available to investors under the Board of Investment. He explained that Chinese investors should not look at Sri Lanka as a small market of 19.5 million people, but view it for the opportunities available to make an entry into the much larger Indian sub-continent, which is possible due to the Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and India, and opened opportunities to reach the growing middle-class of India with a very large expendable income.

The investors present expressed considerable interest in bringing their business and investments to Sri Lanka and informed the Minister that some of them were already making plans to visit Sri Lanka as part of business delegations to the country.

Minister Peiris is a member of the delegation accompanying the President to the Boao Forum for Asia.