Palitha T. B. Kohona, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the People’s Republic of China (Photo by Xie Ming)

On March 29, 2021, President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The Belt and Road Initiative was a keyword in this conversation.

In a recent interview with Haiwainet, Palitha T. B. Kohona, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China, noted that the cooperation between Sri Lanka and China has born fruits since the 1950s. Currently, Sri Lanka is working to realize “a prosperous and glorious future”- a development blueprint for Sri Lanka for the years ahead- which is highly consistent with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Ambassador Kohona said, “What we are ushering in is a feast of investment and the Sri Lankan government at all levels warmly welcomes the Belt and Road Initiative.” He gave us the following examples. The projects like Hambantota Port, regarded as “an important pivot in South Asia” by the Economist, the Puttalam coal-fired power plant, a major contributor to Sri Lanka’s electricity, and Lotus Tower, located in capital Colombo and the tallest television tower in South Asia so far, were all built by Chinese enterprises. In addition, Colombo Port City, invested by China, is expected to be “the next Dubai”.

During the fight against COVID-19, the sincere mutual assistance has elevated the China-Sri Lanka friendship to a new level. Recently, Sri Lanka approved the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use in the country. Ambassador Kohona said that the Embassy of Sri Lanka in China has always been in close contact with Chinese government and the vaccine supply company, and he expressed appreciation for China’s generous donation of vaccines. The coronavirus epidemic is a global challenge that requires the international community to make collective response.

Ambassador Kohona also extended congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China. He believed that the Communist Party of China always plays a leading role in China’s political, social and economic development. Under its leadership, China can achieve vigorous development and become a major country with international influences. Mr. Kohona said that Sri Lanka has in-depth understanding of the Communist Party of China throughout the years of bilateral exchanges, and “we want to establish a closer relationship with the Party.”

Source: Haiwainet

Writer: Ren Tianze

Translation: the Secretariat