Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is on an official visit to the People’s Republic of China, met with Premier of the State Council Li Qiang in Beijing.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed her gratitude to the Chinese Government for inviting Sri Lanka to the 2025 Women Global Leaders Summit and for the warm hospitality extended to her delegation. She also conveyed best wishes on the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, noting that her first official visit as Prime Minister would help further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, culture, and people-to-people relations between the two nations.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya commended China’s role as a global leader in economic growth, innovation, and poverty reduction. She outlined Sri Lanka’s national vision of “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life,” emphasizing priorities such as poverty eradication, sustainability, digital transformation, and ethical governance under the Clean Sri Lanka Programme launched in January 2025.
Discussing economic cooperation, the Prime Minister briefed Premier Li on Sri Lanka’s progress in achieving macroeconomic stability and debt restructuring, and acknowledged China’s continued support in this regard. She also appreciated China’s contributions under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), highlighting key development projects that enhance connectivity and socio-economic progress.
The two leaders discussed future investment opportunities, including a proposal to establish a Hambantota Packaging Center through investment or public-private partnership arrangements, aligned with the Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Industrial and Supply Chain Cooperation signed in May 2025. They also explored measures to facilitate inputs for local production, such as fertilizer supplies, and to promote Sri Lankan jewelry exports in the Chinese market.
Cooperation in education—covering smart classrooms, scholarships, postgraduate programs for officials, and school uniform donations—was also on the agenda, alongside collaboration in agriculture, tourism, security, and health.
Reaffirming Sri Lanka’s dedication to advancing women’s rights and gender equality, Prime Minister Amarasuriya reiterated her government’s support for the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and stressed Sri Lanka’s commitment to women’s empowerment, leadership, and protection from violence.
