Sri Lanka will in near future sign an agreement with China to lease 15,000 acres of land for a Special Economic Zone, State Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said today.

Speaking at a press conference at the Finance Ministry today, Abeywardena said that the land will be in the Southern Province.

The State Minister also said that the government was attempting to increase state income in export and industrial sectors. He said that the state income should increase by 16 to 17 percent over the next few years. Otherwise the economy will 

It was reported in July that China requested 15,000 acres of land in southern Sri Lanka for the creation of a special economic zone that will reputedly create one million jobs. The land requested is n Hambantota District, the media reported then.