Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena will pay an official visit to China from 25 - 30 March at the invitation of Chinese Premier, Li Qiang.

This was announced by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian, during a regular press conference on Friday (March 22).

During the visit, PM Gunawardena is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and the Chairman of Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji.

The two sides will exchange in in-depth views on carrying forward traditional friendship, deepening political mutual trust, expanding practical cooperation, and international and regional issues of common interest, Lin told reporters in Beijing.

Emphasizing that China attaches great importance to its relations with Sri Lanka, he said China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka implement the important common understandings reached by leaders of the two countries.

Further, the two countries will seek to expand exchange and cooperation in various fields, including high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and strive for new progress in the strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson added.

Commenting further, Lin said: “China and Sri Lanka are traditional friends and neighbours. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1957, the two countries have always stood together and moved ahead shoulder-to-shoulder, setting a good example of equality and friendly relations between countries.

“In recent years, the two countries have had frequent high-level interactions, advanced political mutual trust, strengthened exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, people-to-people exchange, and other fields, and maintained sound communication and coordination on regional and international affairs.

“Last October, President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China. President Xi Jinping had an in-depth exchange of views with him and they reached important common understandings on developing the bilateral relations.”