China, Sri Lanka ink currency swap deal

China's central bank announced late Tuesday that it had signed a 10 billion yuan (about 1.63 billion U.S. dollars) currency swap deal with the central bank of Sri Lanka.[Special coverage]

The three-year agreement aims to promote bilateral trade and strengthen financial cooperation between the two central banks, said a statement on website of the People's Bank of China (PBOC).

The deal could be extended upon agreements by the two sides, it said.

Two weeks ago, the PBOC signed an agent investment agreement with its Sri Lankan counterpart which allows the former, on behalf of the latter, to make investments in China's interbank bond market.