On the evening of February 9th, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka held the “Welcoming the Warmth of Spring, Embracing the Chinese New Year” Spring Festival Reception. Ambassador H. E. Qi Zhenhong hosted the ceremony and delivered a speech. Hon. Vijita Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka attended as the Guest of Honor and delivered an Address. More than 700 guests, including former Sri Lankan politicians, friends from various sectors, and representatives of overseas Chinese, Chinese-funded enterprises and Chinese international students in Sri Lanka gathered together and joyfully celebrated the Spring Festival.
Ambassador H. E. Qi Zhenhong extended New Year greetings to all compatriots in Sri Lanka. He emphasized that in the past year of 2025, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has united the entire party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups and led them in overcoming difficulties head-on and forging ahead with determination. The endeavors have etched an extraordinary chapter on the journey toward building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation. Over the year, China-Sri Lanka relations have also built on past achievements and entered a new phase of development, while Chinese compatriots in Sri Lanka have worked hard in unity to realize shared dreams. The Ambassador expressed his hope that overseas Chinese in Sri Lanka would continue to serve as promoters of China-Sri Lanka cooperation, communicators of Chinese culture, and builders of people-to-people friendship.
Hon. Vijitha Herath noted that China and Sri Lanka share many resonances in their New Year traditions and values, and the historical friendship between the two countries has developed into a multifaceted partnership. The Minister expressed gratitude to China for its support to Sri Lanka in Cyclone Ditwah disaster relief, infrastructure construction, trade, and technology development. He also extended Chinese New Year greetings to President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government, and Chinese people all over the world.
The reception venue was filled with a warm and lively atmosphere. Performances such as singing, classic dancing, Kung fu, and face-changing were all highly entertaining and received continuous applause. Ambassador H. E. Qi Zhenhong distributed “Spring Festival Warmth Packages” to representatives of overseas Chinese, conveying the care and blessings of the motherland. The guests all praised and admired China’s remarkable development achievements and expressed their willingness to continue contributing to the friendship between China and Sri Lanka. More than ten mainstream media outlets of China and Sri Lanka, including the Xinhua News Agency, CMG, Phoenix TV and Sri Lanka’s Daily News, extensively covered the event.