China reaffirms support for SL globally

• Foreign Ministers of two countries hold telephone conversation
• State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China and Sri Lanka will jointly safeguard legitimate rights and interests in international fora
• Gunawardena expresses hope China will  continue to uphold justice and stand with developing countries
• Wang urges SL to make solid progress in cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, turning the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port into two major engines to boost Sri Lanka’s economic development
• We welcome more Chinese investment, businessmen and tourists: Gunawardena

 China yesterday extended further reaffirmation and reassurance of support for Sri Lanka globally.

This was conveyed by Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a phone conversation on Wednesday with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the latter’s request.

Wang said that the two countries were strategic cooperative partners of sincere mutual assistance and lasting friendship. 

Over the past year, the two countries joined hands to fight against the pandemic and supported each other, and their bilateral relations maintained a strong development momentum, he said. 

Noting that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Wang said that China had won the victory of ending extreme poverty and achieved great results in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and would embark on a new journey toward fully building a modern socialist country.

China’s development means a growing force for peace and the growth of developing countries, which will provide more development opportunities for developing countries, including Sri Lanka, he added.

Wang called on the two sides to make solid progress in cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, turning the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port into two major engines to boost Sri Lanka’s economic development, pushing for Sri Lanka’s industrialisation, and enhancing the country’s capacity for independent development.

Gunawardena, for his part, said Sri Lanka regarded China as its closest friend and sincerely thanked China for its long-term, selfless help for Sri Lanka’s economic development, improvement of people’s livelihood, and coping with internal and external challenges.

The Sri Lankan FM highlighted that the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port were key projects for Sri Lanka’s future development, adding, “We welcome more Chinese investment, businessmen and tourists.”

In recent years, Gunawardena said some Western countries, including the United States, had once again exploited human rights issues and baselessly accused developing countries including Sri Lanka in the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council. He expressed his hope that China would continue to uphold justice and stand with developing countries.

Wang said that some Western countries were used to pressuring developing countries on the pretext of human rights, adding that China firmly opposed this, and was willing to unswervingly support each other with Sri Lanka to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, the basic norms governing international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter including non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs.

Gunawardena warmly congratulated China on the 100th anniversary of the CPC’s founding, saying that China had, under the leadership of the CPC, completely lifted itself out of poverty, made great development achievements, and significantly improved the livelihood of its people.

Gunawardena said China had also led other countries on the way towards common development, and made a vital contribution to human civilisation.

“Sri Lanka appreciates China’s fair stance on human rights issues and is willing to join hands with China to safeguard fairness and justice in regional and international affairs. Those allegations about Xinjiang and Hong Kong are just baseless. We steadily support China on the Xinjiang, Hong Kong related issues and the One-China Policy,” he added.