15.9 C
Hamburg
Monday, June 2, 2025
Home Port News Sri Lanka deals with China for port upgrade

Sri Lanka deals with China for port upgrade

Sri Lanka penned two multi-million dollar contracts with Chinese firms for a port upgrade project on Thursday (Nov. 29) in the middle of a political hiatus that has raised doubts over the legitimacy of the government and the legality of the deals.

The debt-saddled island has long been a target of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure scheme to connect China with countries cross Asia and beyond, while regional power India has also been vying for deals to counter China’s influence.

But a political crisis triggered by President Maithripala Sirisena’s replacement of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was in turn sacked by parliament, has raised doubts over who can legitimately make decisions in the country.

Foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government and Wickremesinghe’s party has said any decisions by Rajapaksa’s cabinet are illegal.

An official at the state-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority told Reuters it signed two contracts with Chinese firms worth more than $50 million combined on Thursday after the deals were approved by Rajapaksa’s disputed cabinet last week.

Read more on Reuters.

 





Latest Posts

The Indian Ocean Rivalry

The Indian Ocean has emerged as a strategic theater of competition between two Asian giants: India and China. India’s recent developments indicate a rapid expansion...

Statkraft advances plans for green hydrogen scheme at Hunterston

Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy has proposed the development of a green hydrogen facility at Hunterston, the former coal terminal in Ayrshire. Clydeport –...

Port of Bilbao wraps up busiest month for cruise traffic

May has marked a record month for cruise activity at the Port of Bilbao’s terminal in Getxo, with 18 cruise ship calls bringing over...

Tripoli port shutdown sparks maritime crisis in Libya

Libya’s shipping sector is teetering on the edge of collapse as fresh waves of political violence erupt in Tripoli, crippling key port operations and...

KlaipÄ—da port embarks on green hydrogen initiative

KlaipÄ—da Port launched its green hydrogen initiative, positioning itself as the first in Lithuania and the broader Baltic region to produce and supply green...
error: Content is protected !!