Chinese-built railway line becomes operational in Sri Lanka

BEIJING: China claimed on Tuesday major success in implementing its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Sri Lanka by laying a 26.75-km railway line between Matara and Beliatta in Hambantota area of the country. The line became operational on Monday.
“The railway line is the first railway project contracted by a Chinese company in Sri Lanka under the BRI and it is indeed the first railway built after the country’s independence,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a media briefing.

However, Sri Lankan media pointed out that construction of the rail track for a part of the project starting at Matara was launched in 1991, long before the BRI was launched by China in 2013. The foundation stone was still visible at Matara railway station, Sri Lankan media said.

The Chinese foreign ministry said the new project would make regional transportation more convenient and facilitate local economic and social development.

The project has cost $278 million. The railway extension was financed by the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) and the contract was awarded to the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation.

The new project will add to the debt burden of Sri Lanka which has been a major recipient of Chinese loans and investments totalling $8 billion.

Sri Lanka was earlier forced to hand over Hambantota port on a 99-year lease to China after it failed to repay the loan taken for it. The Chinese action of acquiring the port through a debt swap drew sharp criticism from different sources, including the US which termed the BRI projects as a debt trap, especially for smaller countries.