China, Sri Lanka to launch FTA talks as Xi visits
By Shihar Aneez COLOMBO (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping began a visit to Sri Lanka on Tuesday agreeing to open bilateral negotiations for a free trade pact as Beijing tightened its embrace of the island nation along a vital shipping route. Sri Lanka, located just off the southern tip of India, has long had close ties with New Delhi, but China has stepped up its diplomacy in recent years ...