China-backed Colombo Port City no threat to Sri Lanka's sovereignty: Minister

The Colombo Port City project, expected to play a key role in China's ambitious 'Maritime Silk Road' project in India's backyard, is said to be the single largest private sector development ever in the island

The China-backed Port City in Colombo, which has been exempted from a series of local laws, is no threat to the country's sovereignty and would only function as “a single window facilitation of business”, a senior minister said on Saturday. Multiple petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court this week by Opposition parties, civil society groups and labour unions against a proposed controversial legislation on the Colombo Port City, alleging that the $1.4 billion project violated the country's sovereignty, the Constitution and labour rights. The bill titled the Colombo Port City Economic Commission was gazetted on March 23 and the ruling Rajapaksa administration tabled it in Parliament last week. The bill aims to provide for a special economic zone to establish a commission to grant registrations, licenses, authorisations and other approvals to operate business in such economic zones.