I have been to Sri Lanka and visited this area and also Yala to the east but never understood why the rail line from Beliatta (which has only recently been rebuilt).  The most recent line build was from Beliatta to Matara (I have visited the end of the line at Matara).  I think it would make sense to build the extra 50 kms of line to the port with rail yards to allow the easy movement of freight to the new port moving freight from Colombo.

The road between Matara and Galle is very very busy and very very poor.

How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port

I have been to Sri Lanka and visited this area and also Yala to the east but never understood why the rail line from Beliatta (which has only recently been rebuilt).  The most recent line build was from Beliatta to Matara (I have visited the end of the line at Matara).  I think it would make sense to build the extra 50 kms of line to the port with rail yards to allow the easy movement of freight to the new port moving freight from Colombo.

The road between Matara and Galle is very very busy and very very poor.

How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port

Surely the real story here is how the Chinese swindled Sri Lanka out of the ownership of the port. Because the PM, Mahinda Rajapaksa was silly enough to sign up to the deal, they have to hand over the port to China. This is the real purpose of the Belt & Road Initiative, to gain ownership of strategic assets through defaulting on loans. This is exactly what Dan Andrews signed up for......

Totally agree with you golden girl.
The Chinese aren’t lending money just to be nice , it’s a self serving agenda for the Chinese to benefit the Chinese.
No such thing as a free prawn cracker

Djibouti has trodden the same path. It is now a Chinese naval base for the Horn of Africa where they practice live firing.
Victoria has wanted a deep water port in Westernport Bay for years. What are the odds that the Chinese will offer to build it and that Victoria won't be able to pay the loan?

Djibouti has trodden the same path. It is now a Chinese naval base for the Horn of Africa where they practice live firing.
Victoria has wanted a deep water port in Westernport Bay for years. What are the odds that the Chinese will offer to build it and that Victoria won't be able to pay the loan?

Despite Daniel Andrew being one the most popular premiers in my lifetime, he is now heading down a very dangerous path. He is secretive, unrelenting and unapologetic about his support for Belt and Road. A lot of Chinese politicians will be smiling wickedly and rubbing their hands with glee. Andrews is only a pawn in their quest for global domination. It's a very sobering thought. The Premier is continually talks about jobs, jobs, jobs. The Chinese will be thinking about debt, ports and infrastructure.

If the Chinese get a foothold in Victoria, combined with their long lease on the Port of Darwin, then Australia is theirs for the taking.

For the sake of Australia's future and the independence of our children and grandchildren, Andrews has got to go. I hope he doesn't succumb to Chinese pressure before the next election.

I have been to Sri Lanka and visited this area and also Yala to the east but never understood why the rail line from Beliatta (which has only recently been rebuilt).  The most recent line build was from Beliatta to Matara (I have visited the end of the line at Matara).  I think it would make sense to build the extra 50 kms of line to the port with rail yards to allow the easy movement of freight to the new port moving freight from Colombo.

The road between Matara and Galle is very very busy and very very poor.

How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port

Surely the real story here is how the Chinese swindled Sri Lanka out of the ownership of the port. Because the PM, Mahinda Rajapaksa was silly enough to sign up to the deal, they have to hand over the port to China. This is the real purpose of the Belt & Road Initiative, to gain ownership of strategic assets through defaulting on loans. This is exactly what Dan Andrews signed up for......

Completely agree Golden Girl.  This is one of the reasons I posted the article but the other is in almost all. other developments the Chinese have provided transportation assets with the port.  This is certainly the case in Africa and South East Asia.

So I wanted to also highlight this for the site.

I also thought it interesting the former prime minister received donations from the port company in the election he failed to win.

Djibouti has trodden the same path. It is now a Chinese naval base for the Horn of Africa where they practice live firing.
Victoria has wanted a deep water port in Westernport Bay for years. What are the odds that the Chinese will offer to build it and that Victoria won't be able to pay the loan?

Despite Daniel Andrew being one the most popular premiers in my lifetime, he is now heading down a very dangerous path. He is secretive, unrelenting and unapologetic about his support for Belt and Road. A lot of Chinese politicians will be smiling wickedly and rubbing their hands with glee. Andrews is only a pawn in their quest for global domination. It's a very sobering thought. The Premier is continually talks about jobs, jobs, jobs. The Chinese will be thinking about debt, ports and infrastructure.

If the Chinese get a foothold in Victoria, combined with their long lease on the Port of Darwin, then Australia is theirs for the taking.

For the sake of Australia's future and the independence of our children and grandchildren, Andrews has got to go. I hope he doesn't succumb to Chinese pressure before the next election.

It's probably already too late unfortunately - Victorians aren't allowed to know where the money is coming from...

Djibouti has trodden the same path. It is now a Chinese naval base for the Horn of Africa where they practice live firing.
Victoria has wanted a deep water port in Westernport Bay for years. What are the odds that the Chinese will offer to build it and that Victoria won't be able to pay the loan?

Despite Daniel Andrew being one the most popular premiers in my lifetime, he is now heading down a very dangerous path. He is secretive, unrelenting and unapologetic about his support for Belt and Road. A lot of Chinese politicians will be smiling wickedly and rubbing their hands with glee. Andrews is only a pawn in their quest for global domination. It's a very sobering thought. The Premier is continually talks about jobs, jobs, jobs. The Chinese will be thinking about debt, ports and infrastructure.

If the Chinese get a foothold in Victoria, combined with their long lease on the Port of Darwin, then Australia is theirs for the taking.

For the sake of Australia's future and the independence of our children and grandchildren, Andrews has got to go. I hope he doesn't succumb to Chinese pressure before the next election.

It's probably already too late unfortunately - Victorians aren't allowed to know where the money is coming from...

Its Coming From CHINA!

Djibouti has trodden the same path. It is now a Chinese naval base for the Horn of Africa where they practice live firing.
Victoria has wanted a deep water port in Westernport Bay for years. What are the odds that the Chinese will offer to build it and that Victoria won't be able to pay the loan?

Despite Daniel Andrew being one the most popular premiers in my lifetime, he is now heading down a very dangerous path. He is secretive, unrelenting and unapologetic about his support for Belt and Road. A lot of Chinese politicians will be smiling wickedly and rubbing their hands with glee. Andrews is only a pawn in their quest for global domination. It's a very sobering thought. The Premier is continually talks about jobs, jobs, jobs. The Chinese will be thinking about debt, ports and infrastructure.

If the Chinese get a foothold in Victoria, combined with their long lease on the Port of Darwin, then Australia is theirs for the taking.

For the sake of Australia's future and the independence of our children and grandchildren, Andrews has got to go. I hope he doesn't succumb to Chinese pressure before the next election.

It's probably already too late unfortunately - Victorians aren't allowed to know where the money is coming from...

Its Coming From CHINA!

Dopey Dan has the financial mismanagement of Cain/Kirner mixed with arrogance of Jeff Kennett. It is a shame the opposition are such a rabble.

It's probably already too late unfortunately - Victorians aren't allowed to know where the money is coming from...

Its Coming From CHINA!

Well you might think it's funny or inconsequential but freedom is something that occasionally needs defending as there's people even within our own leadership who seem prepared to sell out. Slippery slope to living under the communist yolk... or even just an undemocratic dictatorship like Russia. I for one don't want to live like that.

Dopey Dan has the financial mismanagement of Cain/Kirner mixed with arrogance of Jeff Kennett. It is a shame the opposition are such a rabble.

It is certainly starting to really look this way but until we see the details of the deal who knows what he has done.  Did he sell a stake in the project to the chinese?  Did he accept funding from the chinese for the project?  Was this done selling government bonds who knows.

If however you are looking at how this came about then need only look to the poor contracting (or is it?) of the projects they have in flight.  How do we all know the idea of running over was not planned to have some of that money come back into the ALP as it has in the past?

It's probably already too late unfortunately - Victorians aren't allowed to know where the money is coming from...

Its Coming From CHINA!

Well you might think it's funny or inconsequential but freedom is something that occasionally needs defending as there's people even within our own leadership who seem prepared to sell out. Slippery slope to living under the communist yolk... or even just an undemocratic dictatorship like Russia. I for one don't want to live like that.

You don't have to live like that! Your in South Australia unlike us lucky folks in the Peoples Democratic Republic of Victoria. Winding you up about your beloved PRC is quite Enjoyable. Don't be such a snowflake . You make it sound as if were soo close to turning Red, only in my daydreams we are...

Quite the Difference between the 'communist yolk' and Modern Day Russia, They have a fair bit more opposition to the government at the very minimum compared to the other.

It's probably already too late unfortunately - Victorians aren't allowed to know where the money is coming from...

Its Coming From CHINA!

Well you might think it's funny or inconsequential but freedom is something that occasionally needs defending as there's people even within our own leadership who seem prepared to sell out. Slippery slope to living under the communist yolk... or even just an undemocratic dictatorship like Russia. I for one don't want to live like that.

You don't have to live like that! Your in South Australia unlike us lucky folks in the Peoples Democratic Republic of Victoria. Winding you up about your beloved PRC is quite Enjoyable. Don't be such a snowflake . You make it sound as if were soo close to turning Red, only in my daydreams we are...

Quite the Difference between the 'communist yolk' and Modern Day Russia, They have a fair bit more opposition to the government at the very minimum compared to the other.

Please get your brain tumor treated Dan