China, Sri Lanka vow to enhance cooperation

Chinese President Hu Jintao said Friday that China is ready to join hands with Sri Lanka to lift the all-round cooperative partnership between the two countries to a new height. Hu made the remarks when exchanging views with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse on Friday afternoon on further expanding bilateral links. Hu said that the two nations are trustworthy friends and partners who have gone through difficult times together. In recent years, China-Sri Lanka relations have kept up the momentum for healthy and stable development with exchanges and cooperation deepening in various areas, he said. Hu emphasized that the two countries should increase high-level contact, expand intergovernmental exchanges between their government departments, political parties and local governments and boost personnel exchanges at all levels. Hu said that the two sides need to continue to promote bilateral trade and economic cooperation and carry out major cooperative projects. The Chinese government encourages Chinese enterprises to invest and set up businesses in Sri Lanka, he said. Hu pointed out that cultural exchanges are an important part of China-Sri Lanka relations. China welcomes more Sri Lankan students to study in China and will continue to encourage Chinese tourists to set Sri Lanka as their destination, he said. China is ready to maintain coordination and cooperation with Sri Lanka on regional and international affairs, Hu said. He said China will, as always, support the efforts that Sri Lanka has made to safeguard its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Rajapakse, for his part, thanked China for its long-term support for Sri Lanka's economic and social development. He said that Sir Lanka-China relations are based on mutual respect, mutual trust and friendship. With joint efforts, bilateral ties have made remarkable progress, he added. The Sri Lankan side stands ready to work with China to advance their traditional friendship, expand pragmatic cooperation and strengthen cooperation on regional and international issues, Rajapakse said. He said Sri Lanka will continue to support China's drive to safeguard its own core interests. Hu arrived in St. Petersburg on Friday morning from Moscow for the opening ceremony of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, at which Hu delivered a keynote speech.