China invited to Sri Lanka for business meet

China will be among non-Commonwealth countries that will attend the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) to be hosted by Sri Lanka in November, officials said here Wednesday.

"The business council... has a far wider range. We are inviting countries that Sri Lanka has intimate trade and investment links with. So we are inviting countries like the People's Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Gulf countries and some African countries and central Asia," CBC chief executive officer Mohan Kaul was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Sri Lanka hopes to attract investment for key national projects of infrastructure, Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris told media.

"There is no doubt that the business council is going to bring enormous benefits to our country at this particular time. We are in a situation where the country is emerging from the shadow of a protracted conflict and our economic development is now going forward at a pace which has won handsome praise," Peiris said.

The CBC will be held on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) - the highest decision making body of the 53-member Commonwealth comprising Britain and its former colonies.