COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will finally sign a $1.1 billion deal on Saturday to lease the southern Hambantota port to China, after several months of delay caused by local protests and claims by opposing politicians that this would threaten national security.

Located near the main shipping route from Asia to Europe and likely to play a key role in China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, the Hambantota port has been mired in controversy since state-run China Merchants Port Holdings, that built it for $1.5 billion, signed an agreement taking an 80 per cent stake.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2017