On February 27, 2015, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Beijing with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera of Sri Lanka, who was in China for an official visit.
Wang Yi expressed that China shares a profound traditional friendship with and always pursues a friendly policy toward Sri Lanka, and sticks to non-interference in Sri Lanka's internal affairs. China's friendly policy toward Sri Lanka is oriented towards the whole country and China's practical cooperation with Sri Lanka is geared to its entire people. As an important component of China's friendly policy toward neighboring countries, China-Sri Lanka relationship is never targeted at or influenced by any third party.
Wang Yi said that President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Sri Lanka last September, pushing bilateral relations to a new stage. China is willing to become a trustworthy and reliable development partner of Sri Lanka, firmly supports Sri Lanka's efforts in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and will continue offering assistance within its capacity for Sri Lanka's economic and social development. We hope the new government of Sri Lanka smoothly advance the "100 Day Work Program", maintain national unity and stability and focus on economic development, thus to enrich the country and the people at an early date.
Wang Yi noted that since the establishment of the Sri Lankan new government, both countries enjoy an active and sound interaction. President Maithripala Sirisena hopes to pay a visit to China as soon as possible, to which China expresses welcome. President Xi Jinping has officially invited President Maithripala Sirisena to visit China at the end of this March, which will be the first contact between the supreme leaders of the two countries since the establishment of the Sri Lankan new government and is of great significance to boosting bilateral relations. Your visit has made good preparations for His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena's visit to China, and we are willing to closely cooperate with Sri Lanka to ensure the fruitful results from the visit of President Maithripala Sirisena.
Wang Yi said that China-Sri Lanka relations are solid. No matter how the situation changes, the two sides should cherish bilateral traditional friendship, and unswervingly stick to bilateral friendly relations, advancement of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as mutual support in international and regional affairs. China will, together with Sri Lanka, commit to enhancing the capability for self-development with the joint construction of the 21st Maritime Silk Road as the mainline as well as discussing and signing the free trade agreement, constructing infrastructure and carrying out industrial cooperation as the three major pillars, meanwhile actively expand growth points in five cooperation areas including health care, agriculture, science and technology, tourism as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and constantly improve people's livelihood, so as to benefit both countries and peoples.
Mangala Samaraweera expressed that Sri Lanka-China friendship is based on mutual respect, mutual understanding, common value and close people-to-people and cultural exchanges. As a great friend of Sri Lanka, China always lends a helping hand when Sri Lanka is in difficulties, therefore, it is also Sri Lanka's all-whether tested friend. It has been important consensus and tradition of all political parties in Sri Lanka for a long time to pursuing a friendly policy toward China. President Maithripala Sirisena attaches great importance to developing relations with China and hopes to pay a successful visit to China. The new government of Sri Lanka is eagerly looking forward to further facilitating the development level of bilateral relations and deepening all-round cooperation with China. Sri Lanka is promoting the 100 Day Work Program, and hopes to provide a more transparent, stable and legal environment for foreign investors including Chinese enterprises, making Sri Lanka an investment destination with more attraction, which will also bring greater development opportunities to bilateral relations.