On September 23 2024, President Xi Jinping sent a message to Anura Dissanayake to congratulate him on his inauguration as President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Sri Lanka are traditional friendly neighbors. Over the past 67 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations, both sides have been lending mutual understanding and support to each other, setting a fine example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries of different sizes. I attach great importance to the development of China-Sri Lanka relations and stand ready to work with Mr. President to jointly carry forward our traditional friendship, consolidate political mutual trust, achieve more fruitful outcomes on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, so as to advance the sustained and steady growth of China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership based on sincere mutual assistance and everlasting friendship and bring more benefits to the two peoples.