Nations to enhance BRI ties

President Xi Jinping meets with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 27, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping and visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena spoke highly of the Port City Colombo and Hambantota Port projects in Sri Lanka, and agreed to keep promoting Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries as they held a meeting on Wednesday in Beijing.

Noting that China and Sri Lanka boast a time-honored friendship, Xi said it is in line with the fundamental interests and common aspirations of the two peoples to consolidate and further develop bilateral relations.

China is ready to work with the South Asian country to cement political mutual trust, strengthen sharing of experiences on state governance and expand practical cooperation, among other things, he said.

Xi called on both countries to make concerted efforts to deepen cooperation on logistics, energy and industry. He also urged the countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in fields such as the digital economy, the green economy, clean energy, cultural tourism and the marine economy.

He said that China will keep expanding its imports of high-quality and distinctive products from Sri Lanka and encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in that country. It is hoped that Sri Lanka will provide a fair and transparent business environment, he said.

Xi said that China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Sri Lanka in poverty alleviation in rural areas, and assist the country in achieving its economic transformation and upgrading, as well as sustainable development.

He added that China will continue to provide support for Sri Lanka's socioeconomic development as long as its ability permits.

After Sri Lanka suffered its worst economic and political crisis in 2022, the Chinese government announced 500 million yuan ($69 million) worth of emergency humanitarian assistance to the country that year. It was the largest financial aid that Sri Lanka had received by then.

Gunawardena, who started his six-day visit to China on Monday, said that Sri Lanka will not forget that China has always extended a helping hand in a timely manner when his country has faced difficulties. The two countries are bound together by a shared destiny in times of adversity, he said.

Port City Colombo and the Hambantota Port, which are flagship projects under the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation framework, have greatly boosted Sri Lanka's socioeconomic development, as well as the overall development of the region, Gunawardena said.

Sri Lanka will continue to work with China to promote the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, deepen bilateral friendship, and expand cooperation in trade and economy, education, tourism and poverty relief, he said.

Sri Lanka will also strengthen close communication and coordination with China on a multilateral level, and push for building a community with a shared future for Asia as well as humankind, he added.

Before Gunawardena assumed his office in July 2022, he held several Cabinet positions in Sri Lanka, including minister of transportation and minister of foreign affairs.

In August, he made a visit to China and attended the seventh China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, Yunnan province.