Chinese premier meets Sri Lankan president

BEIJING -- Premier Li Qiang met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in China for a state visit, in Beijing on Thursday.

During the meeting, Li emphasized the enduring friendship between China and Sri Lanka, which has lasted for over a thousand years.

China is willing to work with Sri Lanka to implement the strategic consensus reached by the two heads of state, continue the traditional friendship, deepen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and jointly build a community with a shared future, Li said.

"Over the past 68 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the relationship between the two countries has withstood the test of international changes and has maintained a steady and healthy pace of development," Li added.

He said that China is ready to strengthen the docking of development strategies with Sri Lanka, jointly work for the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, promote cooperation projects such as the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port, expand cooperation in green development, the digital economy, agriculture and maritime sectors, and continue to enhance economic and trade exchanges to achieve more fruitful results.

China is willing to import more high-quality products from Sri Lanka, and encourages capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Sri Lanka, Li said, adding that China hopes Sri Lanka will continue to optimize its business environment and provide more convenience and security for Chinese enterprises.

The two sides should continue to deepen exchanges in culture, tourism, youth, sports, media, and other areas, he added.

China is willing to work with Sri Lanka and other Asian countries to practice true multilateralism and safeguard common interests, Li said.

Dissanayake said that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the well-being of the people, has made remarkable achievements in economic and social development, and has fostered state-to-state relations based on mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation.

China has made important contributions to global peace and development, which Sri Lanka deeply admires, Dissanayake added.

Sri Lanka thanks China for its valuable assistance in realizing national independence and economic and social development, Dissanayake said, adding that the Sri Lankan government attaches great importance to relations with China, always abides by the one-China principle, and appreciates and supports the three global initiatives put forward by the Chinese president.

Dissanayake said Sri Lanka is willing to learn from China's experience in poverty alleviation and industrial development, push for more substantive results in bilateral cooperation in fields such as economy, trade, investment, energy, science and technology and infrastructure construction, strengthen communication and coordination in international multilateral affairs and write a new chapter in bilateral relations.