Negotiations on the China–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, currently stalled, are expected to resume, Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe has said, Hiru News reported.
The Minister made the remark during a discussion at the Ministry of Trade with the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka.
What was discussed
The two sides examined scope for expanding Sri Lankan exports to China, specifically naming seafood, vegetables, fruits, tea and gems.
The Ministry of Trade said the Ambassador also set out Sri Lanka’s ability to reach international and Chinese markets through Hong Kong as a gateway.
What the statement does not say
The Minister described the talks as “temporarily” stalled but gave no date for their resumption, no negotiating round number, and no account of what caused the halt or what has changed to unblock it. Neither the Ministry statement nor the report names the Ambassador.
Nor is there any indication of what the outstanding sticking points are, or whether either side has moved on them.
Context
The agreement has been under negotiation on and off for more than a decade without conclusion. It is one of several bilateral trade arrangements Colombo is weighing as it looks to diversify export destinations beyond its traditional Western markets — a push that has also produced comparisons with Vietnam’s FTA performance in apparel and a broader national export development plan for 2026–2030.
China is among Sri Lanka’s largest import sources and a major bilateral creditor, which makes the balance of any tariff deal politically sensitive. No other verified newsroom had reported the Minister’s remarks at the time of writing.
