On April 18, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met Chief Prelate of Amarapura Maha Nikaya Most Ven. Karagoda Uyangoda Maithri Murthi Thero. Mr. Qin Ligong, Chief of Political Section of the Embassy, and Mr. Ajith Dharmawardena, President of the Sri Lanka-China Buddhist Friendship Association, attended the meeting.

Ambassador Qi Zhenhong extended sincere greetings of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year to the Mahanayake Thera, and briefed on the friendly exchanges between Chinese and Sri Lankan Buddhists, as well as the historical context and China’s position on the Taiwan question and the Xizang issue.

The Mahanayake Thera stated that the Buddhist community in Sri Lanka cherishes the traditional friendship between the two peoples and Buddhist communities, reiterated that Sri Lanka’s Buddhist community would continue to firmly uphold the one-China principle, further deepen friendly exchanges and cooperation between the Buddhists and carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries.

The two sides also had in-depth exchanges on promoting China-Sri Lanka friendship, expanding exchanges and cooperation in the Buddhist field, as well as other issues of common interest.