The Chinese investor will be part of an entourage of 132 businessmen and six government representatives from the Sichuan Province that will be visiting Sri Lanka for networking purposes. The saline production venture is expected to cover the cost of importing saline units to fulfill the country's medical saline consumption.

Sri Lanka needs about 11 million saline units annually and currently there is no manufacturing facility in the country.

In the year 2010 alone the imports of saline cost around US$ 5million. The government says cost keeps increasing every year and points out the immense financial benefit of producing saline locally.

The business to business (BtoB) event is being organized in tandem by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Sichuan Council and the Sri Lanka China Trade and Investment Promotion Chamber (SLCPITC).

(ST/KH)