+
Sri Lanka passes controversial bill on China-backed Colombo Port city
PORTS & SHIPPING

Sri Lanka passes controversial bill on China-backed Colombo Port city

On Thursday, the Sri Lankan Parliament passed a controversial bill on laws governing the China-backed Colombo Port city, with a majority of 149 legislators, in the 225 member house voting in favour of the bill.

The Sri Lankan government has passed the Port City Commission Bill to establish the Colombo Port City Economic Commission.

This comes after Sri Lanka's Supreme Court directed certain amendments, following over a dozen petitions challenging the bill that political oppositions and civil society groups said directly affected the country's sovereignty.

The Rajapaksa government accepted the amendments, pre-empting the requirement for a two-thirds majority or a referendum for passage of certain clauses, as per the Supreme Court's determination.

The $1.4 billion Colombo Port City was launched in 2014 during the Rajapaksa government’s previous term when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Sri Lanka. The infrastructure project is currently being developed on land reclaimed alongside Colombo's iconic seafront, while environmentalists and fisherfolk opposed the move.

Opposition parties, including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB or United People's Front), challenged its provisions and said it infringed upon the country's sovereignty, gave the governing commission overarching powers, and immunity from Sri Lankan law, and threatened to create a Chinese enclave.

Colombo International Financial City or the Colombo Port City is a special financial zone and international financial centre located in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which is presently under construction on reclaimed land adjacent to the Galle Face Green. The project is part of China's Belt and Road initiative.

Image Source


Also read: Sri Lanka opts out of port deal with India

Also read: Adani to develop container terminal at Colombo port

On Thursday, the Sri Lankan Parliament passed a controversial bill on laws governing the China-backed Colombo Port city, with a majority of 149 legislators, in the 225 member house voting in favour of the bill. The Sri Lankan government has passed the Port City Commission Bill to establish the Colombo Port City Economic Commission. This comes after Sri Lanka's Supreme Court directed certain amendments, following over a dozen petitions challenging the bill that political oppositions and civil society groups said directly affected the country's sovereignty. The Rajapaksa government accepted the amendments, pre-empting the requirement for a two-thirds majority or a referendum for passage of certain clauses, as per the Supreme Court's determination. The $1.4 billion Colombo Port City was launched in 2014 during the Rajapaksa government’s previous term when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Sri Lanka. The infrastructure project is currently being developed on land reclaimed alongside Colombo's iconic seafront, while environmentalists and fisherfolk opposed the move. Opposition parties, including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB or United People's Front), challenged its provisions and said it infringed upon the country's sovereignty, gave the governing commission overarching powers, and immunity from Sri Lankan law, and threatened to create a Chinese enclave. Colombo International Financial City or the Colombo Port City is a special financial zone and international financial centre located in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which is presently under construction on reclaimed land adjacent to the Galle Face Green. The project is part of China's Belt and Road initiative. Image Source Also read: Sri Lanka opts out of port deal with India Also read: Adani to develop container terminal at Colombo port

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

MMRDA Targets Completion of Projects by December 2028

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is targeting the completion of all its ongoing infrastructure projects by December 2028, a year ahead of its December 2029 deadline, Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee has said.Speaking at the sixth edition of the Real Estate & Infrastructure Investors' Summit (REIIS) 2026 in Mumbai, Mukherjee said the authority was developing an integrated network of roads, tunnels, sea links and Metro corridors under its broader vision of “Mumbai in 59 Minutes”.The objective is to improve east-west and north-south connectivity an..

Next Story
Building Material

High-Performance Façades Gain Ground in Indian Buildings

High-performance façades are gaining greater importance in Indian architecture as developers and architects increasingly focus on energy efficiency, thermal comfort and building performance, according to Shankar Fenestrations & Glasses.The company said modern façade systems are increasingly being considered as part of a building's overall performance strategy rather than being used primarily as aesthetic elements.High-performance glass, curtain wall systems and structural glazing can contribute to thermal regulation, solar control, daylight management and indoor comfort. Their growing ad..

Next Story
Technology

SPML Infra's 104.4 kWh BESS Battery Pack Clears Global Tests

SPML Infra has announced that its proprietary 104.4 kWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) battery pack has completed key international safety, performance and transportation testing and certification requirements, marking a step towards its commercial deployment.Developed under the company's own intellectual property, the battery pack has completed requirements under UL9540A, IEC 62619, IEC 63056, IEC 60730, IEC 61000-6-2, IEC 61000-6-4 and UN38.3 standards.The testing covers areas including thermal runaway safety, battery performance, system functional safety, electromagnetic compatibility..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code