COLOMBO， June 2 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has opened its first hotel in Sri Lanka in the southern town of Hambantota.


Sri Lankas President Maithripala Sirisena and several ministers in the government attended the opening ceremony Wednesday together with high-profile local and foreign guests.


Tourism Minister John Amaratunga， speaking at the opening ceremony， said that the hotel will help boost tourism in Hambantota and in Sri Lanka.


This is a milestone for Sri Lankan tourism， the minister said， adding that he expects the hotel to have 100 percent occupancy every year.


Chief Operating Officer of the hotel Greg Dogan said he hopes the hotel will contribute to Sri Lanka tourism and he awaits the opening of the second Shangri-La hotel in Colombo next year.


The 145-acre Shangri-La Hambantota Resort and Spa beachfront location provides front-row seats to views of the sparkling Indian Ocean.


As the first upscale resort on the south west coast of the island， Shangri-Las Hambantota Resort and Spa is set in naturally lush surroundings. Its dynamic range of offerings including golf， water sports， spa and kids club will leave guests relaxed， re-energised and inspired.


The hotel project was launched by the former Sri Lankan government led by then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.


The Chinese tourist market is the biggest in Sri Lanka with direct flights operating between major Chinese cities and Colombo.


ALEXANDER Levy shot a 9-under 63 yesterday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the China Open.


The Frenchman vans old skool bianche offerte , who won the China Open in 2014, carded nine birdies in a bogey-free round at the Topwin Golf and Country Club in Beijing to finish one shot ahead of Pablo Larrazabal.


Levy is looking to become the first golfer to win the China Open twice and take his tally of European Tour wins to four. “I played great,” he said. “I hit 18 greens today and had some good putts for birdie, two or three long putts that helped.”


Peter Hanson and James Morrison (both 67) were tied at 5 under along side Raphael Jacquelin, Dean Burmester and George Coetzee.


Jorge Campillo and Yi Cao were among a group of golfers a further shot back.


Bernd Wiesberger vans old skool bianche , who won last week’s Shenzhen International, was six strokes off the pace after a 69, tied at 3 under with defending champion Li Haotong.


Anthony Wall — making his 500th European Tour start this week — shot a 1-under 71, while Ryan Dillon (77) recorded the 14th hole-in-one of the season as he holed a 7 iron from 180 yards on the 13th.


BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- China has moved to standardize its solid waste recycling industry vans old skool nere offerte , which, considered a burgeoning green sector, has on the contrary stoked environmental concerns due to reckless expansion.