Chinese Foreign Minister Meets Sri Lanka’s Vijitha Herath, Reaffirms Strategic Partnership

Jan 13, 2026 at 11:58 AM

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Lanka Leader

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Sri Lanka’s Minister Vijitha Herath on Sunday (12) during a brief stopover in Colombo while returning to China after completing an official visit to Africa.

Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, expressed China’s readiness to assist Sri Lanka following the damage caused by Cyclone Ditva. He said China believes the Sri Lankan people will overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes swiftly.

During the meeting, Wang Yi said China is willing to strengthen exchanges on governance experience with Sri Lanka, expand practical cooperation across multiple sectors, and facilitate greater people-to-people exchanges. He emphasized Beijing’s commitment to further deepening the China–Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership, based on sincere mutual assistance and long-standing friendship, and to building a China–Sri Lanka community with a shared future.

Addressing the broader international situation, Wang Yi said that amid growing global uncertainty and instability, China firmly safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, particularly small and medium-sized nations. He reaffirmed China’s support for the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, opposition to the resurgence of “the law of the jungle,” and rejection of power politics and bullying, while upholding multilateralism and international fairness and justice.

Wang Yi also noted that China appreciates Sri Lanka’s long-standing adherence to the one-China principle and reiterated Beijing’s willingness to continue supporting Sri Lanka in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions. He added that both sides could strengthen South Asia–oriented regional cooperation and jointly promote a more just and equitable global governance system.

Minister Vijitha Herath thanked China for its valuable assistance following the cyclone disaster and said Sri Lanka considers China one of its most reliable strategic partners. He expressed Sri Lanka’s readiness to maintain close high-level exchanges, deepen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure development, maritime affairs, tourism, and cultural exchanges, and continuously enhance the Sri Lanka–China strategic cooperative partnership.