On Aug. 7, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) received the project completion certificate from Sri Lanka Road Development Authority (RDA) for the Section 3 of the Southern Expressway Extension Project. The project was contracted to CSCEC and implemented by its Third Engineering Division. It was also the first section of the extension project that has been verified and accepted.

CSCEC undertook the Sections 2 and 3 of the Southern Expressway Extension Project, a 96-kilometer railway and a key Belt and Road project between the Sri Lanka and Chinese governments. Section 3 is 15 kilometers in length and designed for a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. It is expected to substantially improve cargo transport and commuting between two major ports of Colombo and Hambantota, helping Sri Lanka to move toward its goal of building a South Asian economic center.