China-Sri Lanka ties back to healthy, stable development, says Chinese FM

The relationship between China and Sri Lanka has returned to healthy and stable development after the change of Sri Lankan government, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

Wang told the media that his visit is aimed at expeditiously implementing the consensus reached by top leaders and fully reviewing cooperation between the two countries.

Both sides have agreed to inherit traditional friendship, consolidate political trust and deepen pragmatic cooperation, he said.

China and Sri Lanka could take the opportunity to give full play to the complementarity in their economies and improve infrastructure and port industrial development with mega projects such as Port City and Hambantota Port, with a view to enhancing the independent development capacity of Sri Lanka.

Both countries will hold celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 65th anniversary of the historic Rubber-Rica Pact next year, he said.

Since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road initiative, the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt has been booming. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road should develop at an equal pace, Wang said.

China hoped Sri Lanka could be an important cooperation partner for jointly building the Maritime Silk Road with its unique geographic advantage.

Through the maritime Silk Road, China will support Sri Lanka in becoming a shipping, logistics and even financial hub in the Indian Ocean. Endit