China-Sri Lanka ties to become stronger: official

Sri Lanka's newly-elected government will continue to maintain strong ties with China, a top official assured on Tuesday.

The decades of close relations enjoyed by China and Sri Lanka will continue unchanged, said C. Mahendran, foreign affairs secretary of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, during an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

"In 1952 Sri Lanka withstood the pressure from the United States and other Western countries and signed the famous rice and rubber agreement with new China, and in doing so, opening a chapter in the history of friendly exchanges between the two countries," said Mahendran, who was also Sri Lanka's former ambassador to China. "For a long time, China has always helped Sri Lanka. China has played a major role in Sri Lankan national unity and national construction and development. The Sri Lankan government and people are deeply grateful," he added.

Sri Lanka and China have always supported each other unconditionally in important historical moments, and formed the precious tradition of friendship, Mahendran stressed.

"Our new government will continue to maintain good relations with China, to carry out a pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation. The Sri Lankan government will not change the policy of friendship with China."

He stressed that Sri Lanka backs the"one-China policy". "Sri Lanka attaches great importance to developing relations and is willing to further strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields. I hope more Chinese companies will invest in Sri Lanka to achieve mutual benefit and development," said Mahendran.

Regarding the port city project, which is the largest investment project to date between the two countries, Mahendran emphasized that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had given his assurance it would continue once environmental assessments are met.

He described it as a "big opportunity" for Sri Lanka, especially in terms of attracting much-needed capital investment.

Mahendran pledged that Sri Lanka will continue to strengthen relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides.