China pledges closer party-to-party ties with Sri Lanka

China has expressed its willingness to strengthen cooperation with all political parties in Sri Lanka while expanding collaboration in areas including poverty alleviation, digital cities and governance. Speaking at a reception marking the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong said the CPC is ready to deepen exchanges with Sri Lankan political parties on the principles of independence, equality, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs. He said the successful meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had laid out a new blueprint for bilateral relations. The Ambassador said China hopes to work with Sri Lanka to implement the consensus reached by the two leaders, strengthen pragmatic cooperation, enhance people-to-people exchanges and promote the building of a China–Sri Lanka community with a shared future. Highlighting China’s development under the CPC, Qi said the country had eliminated extreme poverty, expanded social welfare coverage, achieved major technological advances and maintained its position as the world’s largest trading nation. He also reiterated China’s commitment to promoting global development, peace and international cooperation through initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, including the Belt and Road Initiative and other global development and security initiatives. The reception was attended by representatives of Sri Lanka’s major political parties, ministers, Members of Parliament, diplomats and other distinguished guests. (Newswire)