The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Sri Lanka, Wei Huaxiang, arrived in the country on Tuesday to assume his post.
He landed at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake and issued a written statement on arrival, describing his appointment by Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “great honour and privilege” and expressing admiration for Sri Lanka’s civilisation, natural beauty and people.
Historical framing
Ambassador Wei pointed to centuries of maritime and cultural exchange between the two countries, and to the Rubber-Rice Pact signed more than 70 years ago, which he cited as an example of mutual support. The 1952 barter agreement, under which Sri Lanka supplied rubber in exchange for Chinese rice, predates formal diplomatic relations between the two states.
He said cooperation had expanded across a range of sectors under the Belt and Road Initiative, including water technology and education, bringing what he described as tangible benefits to people in both countries.
Recent high-level contacts
The Ambassador noted that President Xi met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya during their respective visits to China in 2025, saying those engagements had given new strategic direction to the relationship.
“China always takes Sri Lanka as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy,” he said, adding that Beijing was prepared to strengthen cooperation in support of Sri Lanka’s economic development and efforts to improve livelihoods.
Wei succeeds Qi Zhenhong, whose tenure ended earlier this year. His arrival coincided with a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat between President Dissanayake and a delegation from China Communications Construction Company, which signalled interest in further Colombo Port City investment.
Sources: Ada Derana, Daily Mirror, Hiru News.
