BEIJING:
Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that relations between China and Sri Lanka are at a “historic opportunity” to strengthen their ties during talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Beijing on Wednesday.
Xi noted that the two nations should view their relationship from a “strategic perspective” and work toward building a “China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future.” These remarks came during the bilateral meeting, broadcast by state media CCTV.
Dissanayake’s visit to China follows his red-carpet reception in India by President Narendra Modi in December, marking his first overseas trip as Sri Lanka’s president. Dissanayake took office in September and solidified his position after his party’s decisive victory in snap parliamentary elections in November.
The visit occurs amid growing competition between China and India for influence in the Indian Ocean region, where Sri Lanka’s strategic position along a key global shipping route connecting the Middle East and East Asia is of significant importance.
In 2022, Sri Lanka faced a major financial crisis, defaulting on foreign loans, which triggered shortages of essential goods like food, fuel, and medicine. At the time, China was the largest creditor, holding more than half of Sri Lanka’s bilateral debt. The economic strain led to concerns about Chinese influence, especially after Sri Lanka was forced to lease its Hambantota port to a Chinese company for 99 years in 2017 due to an inability to repay a significant Chinese loan.
