Beijing, Colombo vow joint building of Belt and Road

China has always regarded Sri Lanka as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, and stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to carry forward their traditional friendship and expand mutually beneficial cooperation, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday when meeting with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya in Beijing.

China is willing to jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Sri Lanka, and advance cooperation in fields such as the port economy, modern agriculture, the digital economy, the green economy and tourism, Xi said.

He called on the two countries to enhance cooperation in law enforcement and security, and resolutely crack down on criminal activities such as cross-border gambling and fraud.

China and Sri Lanka should enhance coordination and cooperation within multilateral frameworks, such as the United Nations, and firmly safeguard the common interests of the Global South, he added.

Amarasuriya said Sri Lanka attaches great importance to its relations with China, firmly adheres to the one-China principle and actively supports and participates in the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.

She thanked China for its precious support for Sri Lanka's economic and social development, and voiced her hopes for further strengthening cooperation with China.

ZHANG YUNBI