Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in Beijing early on Tuesday and was ceremonially welcomed by the Chinese military in his four day official visit to China, his office said.
He reached Beijing International Airport around 1025 hours Beijing time and was formally received by China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong.
President Dissanayake was formally invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping soon after he was elected in September last year.
“I am eager to engage with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to strengthen our diplomatic ties and explore opportunities in technology, agriculture, and poverty alleviation. Together, we can enhance our partnership!,” President Dissanayake said in his X social media platform before he left Sri Lanka.
During this state visit, the President is scheduled to participate in several key engagements, including field visits focused on technological and agricultural development, as well as initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation. The visit also includes high-level business meetings and discussions.
He is also scheduled to sign several agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and China are expected to be signed during the visit.
The President’s visit comes one month after he made his first official foreign visit to India, where he mostly discussed some key projects that have been initiated with the Delhi government under the previous governments.
China has pledged support for President Dissanayake’s new government, which is grappling with practical difficulties in fulfilling its election promises and the reality.
Since the end of a 26-year war in 2009, China has become a strong ally of the Beijing administration. The move, however, has angered India, analysts say, amid Delhi’s increasing concerns over Indian Ocean’s regional security.