One Belt - One Road: Rated as the Mother of all development projects - Patali

Multi-billion USD project by China

The most appropriate step Sri Lanka could take from China’s highly ambitious multi-billion USD inter-continental development project, ‘One

Belt – One Road’ was to join and exploit it for our development, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

Minister Ranawaka said the ‘One Belt – One

Road’ project with the investment of massive US$ one trillion is the biggest ever development project undertaken by any nation, and on completion, the project would create a huge transformation of the world economy, trade, culture and financial sector.

The initiative was taken to launch this massive project recently with an international conference with the participation of number of world leaders in Beijing. The project also known as the ‘Silk Road’ of the 21st century has created a huge debate in the global by any nation. A gas and oil pipe line would also run parallel to the super highway from East Asia to Western Europe once the project was completed. There would be six economic corridors on either side between Asia and Europe and beyond, he said.

“While the construction of the Super Highway

The project also known as the ‘Silk Road’ of the 21st century has created a huge debate in the global by any nation

between East Asia and Western Europe in progress, China would also open a new sea rout via Pacific and Indian Oceans to connect East Asian, South Asian and Western Asian countries with the African Continent and beyond which will cost US$ 150 billion per year which is the One Belt that that would also make China the undisputed super power one day in the future,” Minister Ranawaka pointed out.

China’s endeavour is not something new or unprecedented. Before 1820, the most powerful economy in the world had been centred on China’s Silk Road and Sea routes. China was also the biggest industrialist.

In 2013, China became the second biggest industrialized country after the US. China’s dream is to become the economically and militarily most powerful nation in the world in the near future. The History repeats, Minister Ranawaka emphasized.