Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday in Beijing, signaling a new chapter in economic and trade relations between the two countries.
Premier Li emphasized the enduring friendship between China and Sri Lanka, which spans over a thousand years. He stated that China is ready to work with Sri Lanka to enhance economic cooperation and achieve more fruitful results.
“China is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Sri Lanka, jointly promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and expand cooperation in areas such as green development, digital economy, agriculture, and maritime sectors,” Li said during the meeting.
He highlighted key projects like the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port as significant opportunities for collaboration. Li also expressed China’s willingness to import more high-quality products from Sri Lanka and encouraged capable Chinese enterprises to invest in the island nation.
President Wickremesinghe expressed gratitude for China’s valuable assistance in Sri Lanka’s economic and social development. He noted that Sri Lanka highly values its relationship with China and is eager to learn from China’s experience in poverty alleviation and industrial development.
“We look forward to deepening exchanges in culture, tourism, youth, sports, and media, and achieving more substantive results in bilateral cooperation in fields such as economy, trade, investment, energy, science and technology, and infrastructure construction,” Wickremesinghe said.
The meeting signifies a mutual commitment to building a community with a shared future and practicing true multilateralism to safeguard common interests.
Reference(s):
Premier Li calls for enhanced economic, trade exchange with Sri Lanka
cgtn.com
