Sri Lankan president meets with Liang Guanglie

Mahinda Rajapaksa, president of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, met with Liang Guanglie, state councilor and minister of national defense of the People's Republic of China (PRC), on August 29, 2012 in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Rajapaksa expressed that the traditional friendship between Sri Lanka and China enjoys a time-honored history. The Sri Lankan people are sincerely grateful to the Chinese side for its long-term firm support to Sri Lanka in politics, economy and culture, etc. The two sides have been understanding and supporting each other and constantly deepening mutually beneficial cooperation for years, have achieved fruitful results in various fields and made positive contributions to regional peace, stability and development.

Rajapaksa also noted that in the new historical period, the Sri Lankan side will continue to unswervingly adhere to the one-China policy, and is willing to make joint efforts with the Chinese side to further promote the pragmatic cooperation, including the cooperation in military field, and constantly promote the bilateral relations to a new high.

Liang Guanglie expressed that the Chinese side is grateful to the Sri Lankan side for its long-term strong support to China on issues concerning the core interests of China, such as the issues of Taiwan and Tibet. The Chinese side will also continue to support the efforts that the Sri Lankan side has made to safeguard national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and provide necessary assistance for the economic and social development of Sri Lanka.

Liang Guanglie also said that the Chinese side will further strengthen the friendly exchanges between the two militaries and constantly broaden new cooperation fields.

Before the meeting, Gamini Lakshman Peiris, minister of foreign affairs of Sri Lanka, held a grand welcome ceremony for Liang Guanglie.

Liang Guanglie arrived in Colombo on August 29, 2012 for an official goodwill visit at the invitation of the Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka.