The Sri Lankan government is to set up special economic zones for China and India, the minister for international trade and strategic development, Malik Samarawickrama said on Tuesday.
“Indians will be setting up pharmaceutical and auto-parts industries in their zone. The Chinese have asked for 55 sq km (15, 000 acres) of land in the Hambantota area in the Southern Province for their zone, and we are in the process of acquiring the land. When developed, this area will generate one million jobs,” Mr Samarawickrama was quoted as saying by the Daily News.
The site for India's zone will be discussed during talks next week with Indian officials on the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), the news site reported.
Rejecting concerns that the ETCA would result in an influx of professionals from India, Mr Samarawickrama said, “the government will not allow the entry of foreign professionals except in special cases, as it is now under the Board of Investment rules."
“Those who say that under ETCA even barbers will come from India, are politically bankrupt people,” he said.
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