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Sri Lanka Try to host Commonwealth Games (CWG) in 2018

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Fast developing Hambantota is fully ready to offer the best quality for the commonwealth games competition and overcome even the toughest challenges on the run- up to Commonwealth Games in 2018.

Hambantota has already got assurances from many sponsors and supporting nations endorsing our bid and has full confidence in delivering everything that is required by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), whether it is providing sports facilities, sponsorships, media facilities and all the best quality facilities required by commonwealth sports men and women.

Sri Lanka has begun to set out for the socio-economic development at a greater pace with deeper confidence. The peace and stable political climate, needless to say, acts as a catalyst for unhindered growth. The ambitious development projects of the government all aim to make Sri Lanka the centre of excellence in Asia.

The journey to Commonwealth Games in 2018 will, therefore, be full of exciting developments. The pinnacle of glory will no doubt be playing host to the Commonwealth Games in 2018.


 
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Nothing against Sri Lanka, but I feel CWG games are more of a drain on the economy. If Sri Lanka wins, how does it plan to finance them ?

My rough estimate is it could easily cost in excess of atleast a billion USD.
 
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I think to held commonwealth games in srilanka is benefical for the whole region regarding peace
 
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The Chinese have invested millions - if not billions - in recent years building infrastructure such as a sea port, and now there are fears the non-Commonwealth country could prove very influential in determining which city hosted the 2018 Games.

Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke said Hambantota posed a serious threat to Queensland's chances.

"China is supporting them and China has got lots of money to build new facilities and they have provided facilities and financial assistance to a lot of Commonwealth countries, particularly in Africa," Cr Clarke said.

"So if they want to call in their charge, then no matter how it appears on the surface, that could have an influence on votes."

The influence of China has also been noted by Gold Coast 2018 bid chief executive Mark Peters, who said he was taking Hambantota's bid very seriously.

"We're respecting their bid - there's always that question about what does that Chinese investment mean for the bid, but no-one has the answers to those questions," he said.

"This is not a lay down misere - you see what's happening in cricket at the moment, where suddenly there are different influences playing out.

"We're in a much more political world than we've ever been."

Mr Peters said 71 nations would cast their votes to determine the successful candidate city, which could play into Sri Lanka's hands.

"They have a very strong legacy argument that could go over strongly with some of the African and Caribbean countries."

Foreign policy expert Keith Suter said it was plausible China would seek to build on its sphere of influence by offering behind-the-scenes support to the Sri Lankan bid.

"Ron [Clarke] is right, China is now the single most important investor in Africa, but usually has different sorts of agendas," he said.

"It's not out to make life difficult for the Australians."

"The Sri Lankans would say to the Chinese, 'use your influence where you're investing in order to help ensure our bid when it comes to the vote'," he said.

"The problem is that Australia is already seen to be hosting a lot of sporting events, so Beijing may take the view that the Australians won't mind losing out on the Gold Coast because they get so many other things.

"If the Australian government can counteract that impression by saying to the Chinese that we regard hosting the Commonwealth Games as being very significant indeed and we would regard it as a gross loss of face if we were to lose the bid, then it puts the Chinese in a real dilemma."

Hui Feng, research fellow at the University of Queensland's School of Political Science and International Studies, said Beijing's original intention in Hambantota was to make strategic infrastructure investments.

"It is more likely that the Sri Lankan authorities and the local government would like to further expand the reputation of the town by bidding for the Games by diverting part of the fund from the Chinese investment, and Beijing did not feel compelled to oppose this," he said.

Dr Feng said the investment was part of China's "grand strategy" to establish itself as the major player in Asian and African developing countries.

For the Gold Coast, Mr Peters said all the city can do is put in its best bid.

"What influence China has, we don't know and we can't lose sleep over it," he said.

A decision on the 2018 Commonwealth Games host city will be made on November 11 next year.

China threat to Gold Coast Games
 
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Hosting any king of a major sporting event is actually useless.It drains the country of it's wealth .I am kinda glad that there were problems associated with the Delhi games.In future we will not be the hosts of a major sporting event as a result of this,thereby saving a lot of money which can be used for the benefit of the poor,development of infrastructure etc..
 
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WILL MAKE ‘MAXIMUM EFFORT TO FULFILL SRI LANKA’S NEEDS’ - CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER

Sri Lanka, having rid itself of terrorism and embarked on the course of accelerated economic development with determination, should receive the support of the international community in achieving its objectives, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi has told Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris in Beijing.

He added that China, for her part, would make the maximum effort to fulfill Sri Lanka’s needs as the country addresses itself to the task of attempting to use its natural strengths to improve the lives of its citizens, with the dawn of peace and stability.

Countries big and small have their own problems, and it is important to remember that solutions have to be found to suit the circumstances of each situation in keeping with the wishes of the country in question without hectoring or pressure from outside, he said.

Prof. Peiris informed China’s Foreign Minister that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa had held its first public sitting on the previous day and commenced its work.

Thanking Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi for China’s generous assistance with regard to infrastructure development in Sri Lanka, Minister Peiris said that Sri Lanka was proud of her achievement in securing a growth rate of 7% in respect of her economy.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa considered it even more important to ensure that the benefits of this development should be enjoyed equitably throughout the Island, especially in the rural sector, the Minister added.

From this perspective, Sri Lanka particularly appreciates China’s role in contributing massively to the development of ports and harbours, highways and other infrastructure facilities in regions of the Island which had hitherto been relatively neglected, Prof. Peiris said.

In an address delivered to the China Institute of International Studies, which was attended by leading members of the diplomatic community and representatives of local as well as international media in Beijing, Prof. Peiris explained Sri Lanka’s experience in defeating terrorism and putting the country on the fast track of economic development and national reconciliation.

The Minister also addressed a largely attended Investment Forum at the Shangri-La Kerry Centre in Beijing for leading entrepreneurs of China, co-hosted by the Embassy of Sri Lanka and the China Chamber of Commerce for Export & Import of Machinery and Electronics.

Sri Lanka News-Adaderana-Truth First - Will make ‘maximum effort to fulfill Sri Lanka’s needs’ - China’s Foreign Minister tells Prof. GL
 
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^^^
You beat me on that Bro..

Sri Lankan is too optimistic to believe that Common Wealth will award the 2018 games to a non-existing city... Will China also take up the project of filling up Hambantota with required population... Sorry for being sarcastic...

Colombo is a better choice... but I really doubt even Colombo would get it due to the recent political happenings in Sri Lanka
 
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