On 5 March, 2015, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka H.E. Yi Xianliang called upon Sri Lankan Prime Minister Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe. The two sides had friendly discussions on China-Sri Lanka relations.
H.E. Ambassador Yi first conveyed warm greetings and best wishes to Hon. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe from Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping ( who is also the General Secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China) and Premier Hon. Li Keqiang. Hon. Wickremesinghe expressed appreciation for it and asked Ambassador Yi to convey his sincere greetings to H.E. Xi Jinping and Hon. Li Keqiang.
H.E. Ambassador Yi commended the efforts made by Hon. Wickremesinghe and the UNP led by him for the development of China-Sri Lanka relations. He said the two countries have profound traditional friendship, the Chinese side is committed to promoting the development of China-Sri Lanka Strategic Cooperative Partnership, and is willing to further strengthen our cooperation in various fields together with the Sri Lankan side, so as to benefit peoples of both countries. We believe that under the leadership of the new government, Sri Lanka will have more achievements in various fields.
Hon. Wickremesinghe welcomed the assumption of office of by H.E. Ambassador Yi and said, the Sri Lanka-China relationship has a long history, the Sri Lankan new government attaches great importance to its relationship with China, and is willing to enhance bilateral exchanges and cooperation in political, economic, investment and security areas, etc.. The Sri Lankan government will facilitate the Chinese Ambassador's work in Sri Lanka.
H.E. Ambassador Yi also had frank exchange of views on China-Sri Lanka economic and trade cooperation, especially the cooperation on major projects with Hon. Wickremesinghe.