Analysis of the Implementation Factors of China's Belt and Road Initiative Project in Sri Lanka
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The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is China's foreign policy program initiated by President Xi Jinping in 2013. Sri Lanka has become one of the significant BRI partner countries due to the strategic position of Colombo Port and the Hambantota region in international maritime trade routes. This study aims to analyze the factors driving China's BRI program implementation in Sri Lanka and its impact on Sri Lanka's national development. The research uses a qualitative approach with secondary data analysis through library research, and applies dependency theory as its theoretical framework. The results reveal two interrelated dimensions of interest: first, China's interests in Sri Lanka, covering transportation, energy, and soft power projection; and second, Sri Lanka's interests in China, covering foreign direct investment, infrastructure, connectivity, and technology transfer. BRI implementation in Sri Lanka confirms the continued relevance of dependency theory in understanding the dynamics of bilateral relations between developed and developing countries in the contemporary era.
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