Historic Visit Aims to Strengthen China-Sri Lanka Ties
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to embark on his first state visit to China 🇨🇳 from January 14 to 17, marking a milestone in bilateral relations. The trip, announced by China’s Foreign Ministry, includes high-level meetings with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and National People’s Congress Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji.
🔍 Why it matters: This visit underscores the ‘strategic cooperative partnership’ between the two nations, which dates back to diplomatic ties established in 1957. China’s Foreign Ministry highlighted the relationship as a ‘model of mutual benefit’ for countries of different sizes.
🌐 The bigger picture: Both sides aim to deepen Belt and Road cooperation and expand collaboration in trade, tech, and infrastructure. Analysts say this could open doors for Sri Lanka’s post-pandemic recovery and China’s regional influence.
💬 Quotable: ‘We’re ready to work with Sri Lanka to deliver more benefits to our peoples,’ said ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, emphasizing ‘ever-lasting friendship’ as a guiding principle.
