China is to build the Colombo-Jaffna expressway, among other roads and railway lines in Sri Lanka. This was stated in a communiqué issued by the Lankan Presidential spokesman at the conclusion of talks between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing on Monday.
The two countries agreed to establish two panels to work towards a free trade agreement which would help Lanka export to China, apparel, gems, tea and rubber. The leaders also agreed to increase Chinese tourist arrivals in Lanka to 100,000 per annum by 2015. Some of the projects to be funded by China includes, water supply schemes and an international conference hall in Kandy. This is Rajapaksa’s seventh visit to China.