Colombo, 9 January 2022 (TDI): Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met with the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi who was on an official visit to Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan President thanked the Chinese Foreign Minister for his country’s assistance during Sri Lanka’s difficult times.
He expressed his appreciation to China for supporting Sri Lanka in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as well as adequate control of the pandemic.
He reiterated that Sri Lanka is willing to work with China to mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two partners along with the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa appreciated the significant assistance by Chinese enterprises to the economic revitalization and infrastructure construction of Sri Lanka.
He further reaffirmed that Sri Lanka will boost collaboration with China in the domains of trade, finance, economy, tourism, and infrastructure, to help the two peoples.
The Chinese Foreign Minister on his part first conveyed President Xi Jinping’s cordial greetings to the Sri Lankan President. He pointed out that 2022 is an important year for both China and Sri Lanka.
Both sides have always adhered to the principle of mutual understanding, mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual support during the historical experience of the long-standing friendly exchanges between the two countries.
China and Sri Lanka 70 years ago, the then newly-born countries, overcame obstacles and signed the Rubber-Rice Pact.
The Pact opened the door for friendly exchanges, along with demonstrating the national spirit of the two partners in their fight against hegemony and power politics.
Wang Yi underscored that the spirit of the pact illustrated self-reliance, independence, unity, and mutual support of the two peoples and the development of bilateral relations.
Besides, China has played a constructive role in the global fight against the pandemic. In that regard, China will persist to offer medical supplies and vaccines to Sri Lanka as per its needs.
He stated that the two sides ought to make good use of the two engines, Hambantota Port and Colombo Port City flagship projects, along with the prospects of the enforcement of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and China’s expansive market.
They also discussed the recommencement of discussions on a free trade agreement between Sri Lanka and China. Earlier, Wang Yi also met with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, G.L. Peiris, respectively.
