BRISL Delegation Visit to Yulin City, Guangxi Province: Exploring Opportunities in Electric Vehicle Manufacturing, Spice Trading, and Agriculture.
From January 22 to 25, 2025, Yasiru Ranaraja, the international expert and founding director of the “Belt and Road” BRISL organization in Sri Lanka, embarked on an insightful visit to Yulin City, located in Guangxi Province, South China. His primary goal was to explore potential cooperation projects in material deep-processing, learn about the innovative “Yulin Sharing Factory” model, and discuss the growing opportunities in the spice market—a global hub for spice trading.
In addition to discussing spice trade, Yasiru invited Yulin’s government to invest in future BRI projects in Sri Lanka. He pointed to the Colombo Port City, a regional hub that could facilitate the redistribution of spices from Yulin, and the Hambantota Industrial Zone, which could serve as a key location for assembling and distributing electric vehicles (EVs)—a growing industry in Yulin.
Yulin City has established itself as a key player in two critical sectors: vehicle parts manufacturing and spice processing. Through government-backed initiatives, the city has become an international spice trading center, attracting companies from countries such as India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia. Mr. Shen Bo, a prominent spice market trader in Yulin, is leading the way in expanding the city’s spice industry, with several other companies flourishing under his leadership.
During his visit, Yasiru met with Zhang Huiqiang, the Mayor of Yulin, where they discussed the importance of people-to-people connections and emphasized the core principles of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Yasiru proposed that Yulin should consider entering into a sister city agreement with Colombo Cinnamon Gardens in Sri Lanka. Given that 90% of the world’s cinnamon comes from Sri Lanka, this partnership could help both regions capitalize on their shared spice heritage. He also highlighted the importance of branding Ceylon Cinnamon globally, showcasing its unique characteristics as “true cinnamon.”
The visit was marked by a series of significant meetings and industrial site tours. The delegation explored various industries in Yulin, including EV manufacturing, agriculture, garments, and spice trading. The group visited the Octagonal Planting Base of Beiliu City to learn about Agarwood production, met with leaders from Guangxi Yuchai New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., and toured the Yulin International Spice Trading Market. These interactions highlighted the vast potential for international collaboration in areas such as Chinese medicinal materials, EV manufacturing, and spice processing.
The delegation also participated in a video conference with Guangzhou Zeli Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd. to learn about shared factory models. In addition, discussions were held with Yulin City Agricultural Investment Group to explore investment opportunities and potential joint ventures.
As the visit concluded, Yasiru’s delegation met with leaders from Guangxi Chaojue Auto Industry Co., visited the Spice Fast Processing Industrial Park, and continued their dialogue with local government officials. The trip reinforced the importance of strengthening economic ties between Sri Lanka and China and exploring new avenues for collaboration.
This visit to Yulin marks an exciting new chapter in the growing cooperation between Sri Lanka and China. Through strategic partnerships and deep-processing projects in sectors like spice trading and Chinese medicinal materials, both countries are poised to create lasting growth and innovation. As the global demand for spices and EV manufacturing continues to rise, the collaboration between Yulin and Sri Lanka is sure to play a pivotal role in these industries’ future development.
This visit marks a pivotal moment in the collaboration between Sri Lanka and China, particularly in the areas of spice trading and Chinese medicinal materials. Through the Yulin International Spice Trading Market and the shared factory model, there is tremendous potential for deep processing cooperation, innovation, and growth. Yasiru Ranaraja’s visit underscores the importance of international collaboration and the exchange of knowledge to drive future growth in these key industries. With the continued support of both governments and private sectors, the future of spice trading and Chinese medicine in the region looks incredibly promising.
News Reports:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Aukzw8IhV9GZNb0A6d1WWw
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/cRLvP_tkgTxJBl32O0udYQ
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Ih3Xj2aDgl4ILxEo8nc4WQ
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/vePUXVsmWvuVbulnSdhVVg
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/cRLvP_tkgTxJBl32O0udYQ
