On December 29, 2004, State Councilor Chen Zhili met with the visiting Sri Lanka delegation led by Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in Zhongnanhai.

Chen said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Sri Lanka, the traditional friendship of the two countries has been enjoying healthy and steady development. Bilateral exchanges and cooperation in all fields keep expanding and both sides support and collaborate with each other in international affairs. The Sri Lanka government always firmly supports the Chinese government on issues with bearing on the major interests of China such as those of Taiwan, Tibet and human rights, which the Chinese government appreciates most.

The Chinese government and people pay close attention to and feel deep sympathy over the recent tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka. We firmly believe that the Sri Lanka government and people can overcome temporary difficulties, restore normal production and social order in the areas hit by the disaster and rebuild their home as soon as possible, said Chen.

Kadirgamar noted that generations of Sri Lanka and Chinese leaders have made great contributions to building the friendly cooperative relations between the two countries and their traditional friendship has stood the test of times. In the future, both sides should continue to maintain high-level exchanges, expand contact of all sectors of the society, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, teach the youth of both countries the history of Sri Lanka-China relations and carry on the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries. He expressed deep gratitude to the Chinese government and people for their valuable assistance to Sri Lanka after the tsunami disaster.

Both sides also exchanged opinions on boosting China-Sri Lanka exchanges and cooperation in such areas as culture, education and tourism.

Chinese Foreign Ministry official Qiao Zonghuai and Sri Lanka ambassador to China Nihal Rodrigo were also present at the meeting.