On October 14, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Prime Minister Amarasuriya is visiting China to attend the World Conference on Women.
During the meeting, President Xi said that the friendship between China and Sri Lanka has a long history. Based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, the two countries have developed bilateral relations and set a good example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation among nations.
Xi emphasized that China and Sri Lanka are partners in development and cooperation. China has always regarded Sri Lanka as an important part of its neighborhood diplomacy and wishes to continue the traditional friendship, expand practical cooperation, and build a China–Sri Lanka community of shared prosperity, bringing greater benefits to both peoples.
He stressed that China supports Sri Lanka in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions. China also supports Sri Lanka’s efforts to achieve national prosperity with a focus on economic development.
Xi added that China is ready to work with Sri Lanka to jointly build a high-quality Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and expand cooperation in areas such as port economy, modern agriculture, digital economy, green economy, and tourism. He also noted that both sides should strengthen law enforcement and security cooperation to firmly combat cross-border gambling, fraud, and other criminal activities, enhance cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations, promote an orderly multipolar world, advance inclusive economic globalization, and firmly safeguard the interests of the Global South.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya conveyed the warm greetings of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to President Xi. She said that President Xi’s speech at the World Conference on Women was highly significant, showcasing China’s leadership role in promoting global women’s development.
She added that Sri Lanka attaches great importance to its relationship with China, appreciates China’s support for its economic and social development, and wishes to learn from China’s experience of modernization with Chinese characteristics. Amarasuriya further stated that President Xi’s four major global initiatives are of great importance in today’s turbulent international context, and Sri Lanka will work with China to implement them and jointly safeguard the interests of the Global South.
Source: Tuhina–Hashim–Swarna, China Media Group.