China Says Its Assistance to Sri Lanka Will Always Be Available
Diplomatic Correspondent
China has reaffirmed that it will extend the necessary assistance to Sri Lanka whenever required and stands ready to share its development experience with Sri Lanka under the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme, Wang Junzheng, a member of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Xizang Autonomous Region, has said.
Wang Junzheng made these remarks when he met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (23), during an official visit to Sri Lanka leading a Chinese delegation.
President Dissanayake expressed his sincere appreciation for the emergency and humanitarian assistance provided by China to Sri Lanka in times of crisis, and commended China’s continued and unwavering support for Sri Lanka’s reconstruction efforts during this difficult period. The President noted that such cooperation would further strengthen the long-standing close friendship between the two countries.
The President also briefed the Chinese delegation on the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” initiative launched to restore normalcy to people’s lives and to advance national reconstruction.
Recalling the mutual understanding and friendship reached between the two Heads of State during President Dissanayake’s recent official visit to China, Wang Junzheng said China would continue to work closely with Sri Lanka in a spirit of sustained cooperation. He reaffirmed that, with the support of the Chinese government, ongoing projects in Sri Lanka would be carried forward steadily, while assistance would also be provided for the initiation of new projects.
He further stated that China would support key government initiatives such as the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme and the campaign to combat bribery and corruption, and would share China’s experience in poverty alleviation—particularly in addressing rural poverty—with Sri Lanka, providing the necessary support in this regard.
Those present at the meeting included Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong; Peng Xiubin, Director General of the Bureau for Southeast and South Asian Affairs of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee; Bao Ting, Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Xizang Autonomous Region; Wang Siqi, Deputy Director of the Bureau for Southeast and South Asian Affairs of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee; and, representing the Sri Lankan government, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando, Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, among others.
