by Jamila Najmuddin
COLOMBO, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- A mega port city project is set to change the face of Colombo, the Sri Lanka's capital city, in the coming years.
The 1.4-billion-U.S. dollar project, which is currently under construction near the Colombo Harbour, is Sri Lanka's largest foreign investment.
The project is an investment of China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) and has to date employed hundreds of locals, a boon given the high rate of unemployment of the island country.
"I feel very proud to be contributing towards this project as a Sri Lankan. The project is going to create more than 80,000 jobs within the next 20 years, which will benefit Sri Lanka immensely," said Chiranthi Balapatabandi, Marketing Communications Executive of CHEC Port City Colombo, the project's contractor.
Balapatabandi said that the project would help promote Sri Lanka's economy by encouraging foreign direct investments and private sector growth.
Sri Lanka, taking advantage of its strategic location, is seeking strong role in China's Belt and Road Initiative.
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