From November 19 to 21, Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong visited Sri Lanka's Northern and Eastern Provinces. During the visit, H.E. met with Hon. Mr. Vethanayahan, Governor of the Northern Province, and Hon. Mr. Ratnasekera, Governor of the Eastern Province. In the Northern Province, Ambassador Qi held a media briefing at Jaffna Press Club and had an in-depth exchange of views with friends from all walks of life in the local community. In the Eastern Province, he held talks with members of Civil Society and local media representatives. Ambassador Qi also visited the impoverished fishing village of Kaluvankerni.

Ambassador Qi said that the recently concluded presidential and parliamentary elections signify a positive shift in Sri Lanka's domestic situation. We are glad to see that the Tamil community is rising above political differences and ethnic as well as religious divisions to work collectively towards national unity and development. As highlighted by the slogan at Point Pedro, the northernmost tip of Sri Lanka, "Unity in diversity is the strength of Sri Lanka." China will continue to do its best to help the people in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. I believe that under the strong leadership of President Dissanayake, the economic and social development of the two regions will reach a new level.

Governor Vethanayahan and Governor Ratnasekera said that Sri Lankan Tamils have a long history of friendly exchanges with China. The people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces have a natural affinity for China and its people. After Covid-19 broke out, the Chinese government extended timely assistance, including providing vaccines for the people in both regions, demonstrating that China is a true friend of Sri Lanka and it is always ready to stand by its Sri Lankan brothers and sisters in times of adversity. This year, the Chinese government has further supported the northern and eastern regions by providing essential supplies for livelihoods with a total value of 1.5 billion LKR, such as housing units, rice, and fishing nets. These generous contributions reflect the profound friendship of the Chinese people and are deeply cherished by the local communities. At present, the Northern and Eastern Provinces are dedicated to reconstruction. Thus, we warmly welcome Chinese enterprises, investments and tourists. We look forward to the Chinese government's continued valuable support in advancing economic development and improvement of the livelihoods of the people in these regions.

The local media extensively covered Ambassador Qi Zhenhong’s visit, commending his efforts and highlighting the enduring friendship between the Tamil and Chinese people. They also expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for its generous assistance to the two regions.