Sri Lanka Tells China It Will Rethink Ties – and a Major Port Project

(Beijing) – Sri Lanka's new government has suspended a US$ 1.5 billion project that Beijing holds dear as part of a strategy promoting China's influence along old maritime trade routes.

The project to build a commercial and residential center near a major port in Sri Lanka has spurred controversy in the South Asian country, as critics say it violates local laws and regulations and will damage the environment. Sri Lanka's government said it is holding off on the project while assessing its impact on the environment.