NEC Secretary General lauds ‘Belt and Road’ initiative for providing opportunity to Sri Lanka

National Economic Council (NEC) Secretary General and Chief Economist Prof. Lalith Samarakoon called upon Ambassador of China in Sri Lanka Cheng Xueyuan on 26 March. Both sides exchanged views in depth on bilateral economic and commercial relations. 

Ambassador Cheng expressed that the China-Sri Lanka friendship dates back to ancient times. China attaches great importance to the bilateral relations, and is willing to implement the important consensus of the two leaders and actively push forward the practical cooperation under the framework of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. On current stage, both sides are going to receive the early harvest of the cooperation, which will bring more and more tangible benefits to both peoples. 

China never interferes in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka and never attaches additional conditions to its assistance to Sri Lanka. While pursuing building a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice, win-win cooperation, China is actively working together with Sri Lanka to promote the latter’s economic and social development and bring benefit to the two peoples. Amb. Cheng also briefed Prof. Samarakoon the ongoing cooperation status and the bright prospects of joint mega-projects in Sri Lanka, and urged NEC to jointly work together with China to promote the cooperation.

Secretary-General Samarakoon highlighted that the primary goal of the current Sri Lankan Government is to develop the national economy and benefit more grass-root people. He believed that the Belt and Road initiative has provided a great opportunity for Sri Lanka to achieve its goal. NEC attaches great importance on Sri Lanka-China economic cooperation as well as the good suggestions proposed by the Chinese side. NEC will accordingly coordinate all related departments to speed up the implementations of the joint projects and deepen the friendship of the two countries.

Deputy Chief of the Mission Pang Chunxue and Commercial Counsellor Yang Zuoyuan participated in the meeting.