Sri Lanka seeks Vietnamese investment in transport infrastructure

The meeting highlighted Sri Lanka's keen interest in attracting Vietnamese investment, particularly in transport infrastructure development.

Minister Rathnayake, who also serves as head of the Sri Lankan People’s Liberation Front (JVP)’s Foreign Affairs and leader of the House of Parliament in Sri Lanka, emphasised his country's priority in developing railway, road, aviation, and seaport infrastructure.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Trinh Thi Tam (L) at a meeting with Sri Lankan Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake (Photo: VNA)

Ambassador Tam congratulated Rathnayake on his ministerial appointment and the JVP’s victory in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections. She expressed her gratitude for the minister's support in organising the recent celebration of the 95th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

Speaking highly of the sound traditional friendship between the two countries, Tam briefed Rathnayake on the embassy’s plans to bolster collaboration across all areas, including trade, investment, transport, aviation, and infrastructure development.

Sri Lankan businesses, she said, have shown strong interest in importing electric vehicles from Vietnam, presenting a promising avenue for bilateral trade in the transport sector. The two countries are also working to launch direct flights based on their air transport agreement signed in 2012.

Rathnayake stressed the close-knit ties bewteen the JVP and the CPV, voicing his strong support for cooperation initiatives between the two countries in the coming time, including the exchange of delegations at all levels and bilateral meetings on the sidelines of multilateral forums. He also announced plans to set up a Sri Lanka – Vietnam parliamentary friendship association and proposed Vietnam collaborate with the Women’s Parliamentary Committee, a prominent group within the Sri Lankan Parliament.

He also supported the creation of a Sri Lanka – Vietnam trade council to facilitate bilateral cooperation in this field.

Sri Lanka plans to organise a specialised conference on electric vehicles and welcomed participation from interested Vietnamese businesses, he revealed.

The minister also expressed support for cultural and Buddhist exchanges between the two countries, showing particular interest in the Vietnamese Embassy's proposal to name a street in Colombo after President Ho Chi Minh.