COLOMBO, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday inaugurated a 27 million U.S. dollar vehicle assembly plant in the country's north-western province, the President's Media Division (PMD) said.
The PMD said in a statement that the first vehicle to be assembled at the factory is a 15-seater passenger van, which is expected to enter the market by the end of September.
In line with international industry standards, the facility also houses a vocational training institute, offering young people a chance to gain skills that will qualify them for overseas job opportunities, the PMD said.
The factory has a capacity to produce 50,000 vehicles annually, which will strengthen the country's export sector, the president said addressing the gathering, according to the PMD. ■
