Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong has reaffirmed their enduring friendship with Sri Lanka, highlighting strong bilateral cooperation in development projects, public welfare initiatives, and crisis response. 

The two countries have stood together through challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, economic crises, kidney disease, and flood relief efforts, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said.

Ambassador Qi made these remarks in a statement of commemorating the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. He noted that earlier this year, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to China resulted in significant understandings with President Xi Jinping, including jointly building a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future and elevating bilateral relations to a new level.

Ambassador Qi highlighted that cooperation between the two countries spans major infrastructure and livelihood projects from the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port improvements to the Central Expressway Project, integrated water supply schemes, school donations, free cataract surgeries, and refurbishment of public institutions.

“Our bilateral exchanges are multi-faceted. From daily people-to-people engagement to frequent high-level visits on state governance, from the new progress of the Colombo port city to the improved performance of the Hambantota port, from the full resumption of the Central Expressway Project Section one to the Gampaha, Attanagalla, and Minuwangoda Integrated Water Supply Scheme, from the donation of stationery and fabric for school uniforms to the free cataract surgeries, and from the Out-Patient Department building of the Sri Lankan National Hospital to the refurbishment of the Superior Courts Complex, among many others, these vivid examples of both major and livelihood projects showcase the all-round advancement of our bilateral relations,” he said.

He concluded his statement with a message of goodwill: “We wish China and Sri Lanka greater prosperity and everlasting friendship.”

Chinese envoy hails ‘multi-faceted’ bilateral exchanges between Sri Lanka and China by poornima