Chinese Government provides 450 million LKR grant for Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition and Convention Centre Construction Project (Linked to Record ID#38914, #71573, #71574)

Project narrative

In 2001, the Chinese Government committed grant funding (worth 450 million LKR) to the Government of Sri Lanka for the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition and Convention Centre Construction Project. The construction of this building was dedicated to the memory of ex-PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who died in 2000. On May 18, 2001, Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji inaugurated the construction of the exhibition hall. It was officially opened on May 17, 2003, and at the time of its completion, it was reported to be South Asia's largest exhibition and convention hall. It consists of two indoor halls that can house 170 stalls and outdoor exhibition area of 5,000 square feet that is fully cemented. This project is related to Record ID#38914, which captures the 2007 Chinese Government-financed repair and maintenance of BMICH. The Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition and Convention Centre is adjoining with the Bandaranayake Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH or 纪念班达拉奈克国际会议大厦), which was also constructed with Chinese grant funding in the 1970s. Other Projects related to Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition and Convention Centre and the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies are Record ID#71573, which captured the RMB 1.7 million China grant to Sri Lanka for the provision of equipment to the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, and Record ID#71574, which captured the RMB 5 million China grant for the provision of technical and support services to Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition and Convention Centre and the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.