New Delhi, Feb 12 (UNI) Sri Lanka believes it has great potential to be a maritime hub in the Indian Ocean, and the island nation sees China's Belt and Road Initiative would help, Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage said.

"In that, I see the Belt and Road Initiative as a great prospect for Sri Lanka to be more connected to the global supply chain," said Colombage in an interview to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

Sri Lanka has three deep water ports, which are viewed by Colombage as the country's biggest assets.

"So we need to benefit from that. We need to benefit economically from the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We need to develop our maritime-related infrastructure," he said.

Colombage statement comes amid Sri Lanka's recent decision to pull out of a 2019 agreement with India and Japan, to jointly develop the East Container Terminal at the Colombo Port.

Adjoining the ECT, China holds 85 per cent stakes in the Colombo International Container Terminal which is under a 35-year ‘Build Operate and Transfer’ agreement with the Sri Lanka Port Authority.

China has helped Sri Lanka in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the country now looks forward to furthering its ties with China in order to recover from the pandemic, Xinhua said.

Colombage said 2021 will be a very challenging year for countries including Sri Lanka due to the fight against the pandemic, and Sri Lanka now needs the support of its friends more than in any other years in history.

China has sent medical assistance such as surgical masks, personal protective equipment, and surgical gloves in large quantities to the country's health authorities, Colombage said.

"This has helped Sri Lanka in its battle against the pandemic."

Colombage said China has fought the virus very effectively as it has begun producing vaccines in large quantities and is helping other countries by do

"China is going to give us a large number of vaccines and arrangements are being made. I was told these vaccines will arrive here soon. That is a really great gesture. We need more support in this battle against the COVID-19," Colombage said.

The foreign secretary said the COVID-19 has shattered the country's economic hope and development progress.

"We now really need to catch up," Colombage said.

"I think China, being one of the leading economies in the world, and the number one development partner of Sri Lanka, can help us," Colombage added.

Attracting more investments from China will create more job opportunities for locals, said the official, adding that reaping the benefits from China's Belt and Road Initiative will be a priority.

UNI SRJ SHK1812