Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Sri Lankan counterpart Vijitha Herath in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, where both sides pledged to deepen their strategic cooperative partnership and strengthen practical collaboration.
Wang, also a member of the Communist Party of China’s Political Bureau, reaffirmed China’s commitment to enhancing bilateral ties marked by mutual support and lasting friendship. He emphasized the importance of advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and urged joint efforts to expedite key initiatives such as the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port projects.
He also called for faster negotiations on a China–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and encouraged expansion into new areas including green energy, digital economy, modern agriculture, and marine industries.
Wang reiterated that China–Sri Lanka maritime cooperation is mutually beneficial, stating it is not aimed at any third party and should not be disrupted by external forces. He criticized the so-called “Indo-Pacific Strategy,” saying it encourages confrontation and pressures countries to pick sides, which he argued goes against regional interests and modern global trends.
Minister Herath affirmed Sri Lanka’s adherence to the one-China policy and highlighted the tangible benefits of bilateral cooperation for the Sri Lankan people. He expressed Sri Lanka’s interest in deepening collaboration in trade, investment, infrastructure, and ocean-based sectors, while strengthening the long-standing strategic partnership between the two countries.
