Sri Lankan President concludes landmark state visit to China, boosting bilateral ties

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake successfully concluded a State Visit to the People’s Republic of China from January 14 to 17, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the long-standing traditional friendship between the two countries and further strengthening bilateral cooperation and partnership.

President Dissanayake undertook the State Visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

President Dissanayake was received by President Xi on January 15, 2025, at the Great Hall of the People, where he was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour.

The two Presidents engaged in discussions on a wide range of areas, including economic and trade enhancement, investment, tourism, digital transformation, and cooperation in multilateral fora.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further consolidate bilateral ties based on sovereign equality and peaceful co-existence.

Following the discussions, President Xi hosted a State Banquet in honour of President Dissanayake. President Dissanayake extended an invitation to President Xi to undertake a State Visit to Sri Lanka.

The Chinese Premier, Li Qiang, welcomed the Sri Lankan President and discussed matters of mutual interest, including development cooperation, trade, investment, and economic cooperation.

President Dissanayake also met with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Zhao Leji, to discuss areas of further cooperation.

During the State Visit, 15 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were exchanged by the two sides. These memoranda include a grant of RMB 500 million from the Chinese Government for economic and technical cooperation, the establishment of an Investment and Economic Cooperation Working Group, market access for agricultural products to China, and collaboration on media and tourism promotion.

A Joint Statement with the Sinopec Group was also signed to establish an export-oriented petroleum refinery in Hambantota, valued at USD 3.7 billion.

President Dissanayake also addressed the “Invest in Sri Lanka” Roundtable, attended by high-level representatives of Chinese State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and companies.

Addressing the Investment Forum, President Dissanayake highlighted the broader vision guiding Sri Lanka’s economic policies and shared key areas of potential interest for the business community to invest in Sri Lanka.

Leading Chinese SOEs present at the Forum expressed their interest in bringing new investments and expanding existing projects in Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake also paid tribute at the Monument of the People’s Heroes, followed by a visit to the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong.

In Chengdu, the largest metropolis in Southwest China, President Dissanayake visited Zhan Qi, a model village focused on poverty alleviation, to exchange views on best practices.

The President also visited the Chengdu National Agricultural and Science Center and met with Sichuan Province Party Secretary Wang Xiaohui.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath; Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake; Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the People’s Republic of China Majintha Jayesinghe; Director General of the East Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ruwanthi Delpitiya; and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing accompanied President Dissanayake during his official engagements in China.