China's Chongqing willing to strengthen cooperation with Sri Lanka on trade, poverty alleviation: official

COLOMBO -- China's Chongqing municipality is willing to enhance cooperation with Sri Lanka on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and strengthen collaboration on poverty alleviation, said a Chinese official.

Sri Lankan President and leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe met here Saturday with Yuan Jiajun, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee.

Noting that the two countries are a model for friendly co-existence and win-win relations between countries with different systems, Yuan said China is willing to join hands with the Sri Lankan side at all levels to push to a new level the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and lasting friendship.

He said the CPC is willing to continue strengthening exchanges and mutual learning with Sri Lankan political parties, and to contribute to the development of bilateral relations and their respective national development.

Yuan added that Chongqing stands ready to boost cooperation with Sri Lanka on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, jointly enhance the level of openness and development, strengthen collaboration on poverty alleviation, and better promote the high-quality economic and social development of the two countries.

Wickremesinghe, for his part, said China is a great friend of Sri Lanka, and he thanked the Chinese side for providing strong support for the country's economic and social development over the years.

Sri Lanka is willing to cooperate with China to strengthen their all-round practical cooperation, deepen interparty and sub-national exchanges, promote the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and welcome investors from Chongqing to invest in Sri Lanka, said Wickremesinghe.

Yuan led a CPC delegation to visit Sri Lanka from Wednesday to Sunday.