China, Sri Lanka laud long-lasting friendship

Cambodia, The Gulf Observer: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry in Cambodia on Thursday, with both sides speaking highly of their long-lasting friendship.

During the talks with Sabry on the sidelines of the meetings of foreign ministers on East Asia cooperation, Wang said China and Sri Lanka have enjoyed long-lasting and traditional friendship. The Chinese government and people have provided multiple batches of emergency humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka and will continue to extend assistance through bilateral and multilateral channels, he said.

Wang said he believes that the new government of Sri Lanka will unite and lead its people in getting through the difficulties and push the country back to the right track of development. China firmly supports Sri Lanka in safeguarding national sovereignty and independence, resolving its debt problem through consultation, maintaining policy continuity, safeguarding social stability and realizing economic recovery, he added.

Wang said history has proven and will continue to prove that China will never do anything to harm Sri Lanka’s interests and will always be its sincere and reliable friend.

For his part, Sabry thanked the Chinese government and people for their timely assistance to Sri Lanka in times of difficulty. With special and long-lasting bilateral relationship, Sri Lanka and China have always trusted and supported each other, Sabry said. Sri Lanka cherishes its friendship with China, firmly adheres to the one-China principle and opposes any action that interferes in China’s internal affairs and stokes tensions, he said.

Refuting the so-called Chinese “debt trap” claim, Sabry stressed that China only accounts for 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s external debt, saying Sri Lanka would not have achieved development at all without China’s help. Sri Lanka will protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese investors, he added.