Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera was in Beijing the last two days of February, where he met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, as well as Premier Li Keqiang. China’s Foreign Ministry had previously talked up the visit as a way of establishing the foundation for China-Sri Lanka relations under new President Maithripala Sirisena. Samaraweera was the first cabinet member from the new government to visit China.
China used Samaraweera’s visit as a chance to refute the notion that extensive Chinese loans made to Colombo for various construction projects have a nefarious intent. “China’s loans were provided at the request of the Sri Lankan side… The loan arrangements, which are made upon consensus and oriented towards the entire nation and its people, have played a positive role in Sri Lanka’s economic and social development,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday.
Chinese officials also tried to rebut widespread interpretations that Sirisena will not be as friendly toward China as his predecessor. Wang stressed the “profound traditional friendship” China has for Sri Lanka. According to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry, Samaraweera also emphasized the “solid and deep friendship between the two countries.” He added that Sirisena is “keen to take forward the [China-Sri Lanka] relationship to a new level of excellence.” Sirisena himself is expected to visit China at the end of March.
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