Sri Lanka held an investment and trade fair in Qingdao on Nov 11 to seek more cooperation, especially in aquatic products, tea, and garments, reported the Qingdao Financial Daily.

Eleven companies from Sri Lanka signed cooperation letters of intent with some 30 Qingdao companies, such as Tsingtao Group, the Port of Qingdao, Rubber Valley and Luhaifeng Foods Group, during the event.

Members of Sri Lanka’s delegation said both sides will develop extensive cooperation in aquatic products, jewelry, tea, garments, cosmetics, coconut oil, rubber and ceramics in the future.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road bring more opportunities and wider cooperative space, said the president of the Sri Lanka-China Business Council, Navindra Abeysekera.

Chunyu Xianli, vice director of Qingdao's commerce bureau, said Qingdao, a starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, and Sri Lanka, an ancient Buddhist center, have deep historical ties and should enjoy more frequent contact.

In May, Qingdao held a business meeting in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, where both sides signed a memorandum for economic partnership.