Srilanka, Oct. 5 -- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's (AKD) official visit to China during his first year in office has further strengthened the longstanding friendship between the two Asian nations. Southern Sri Lanka has long been engaged in Chinese projects and programs, and both countries have enjoyed warm relations in the fields of economy, culture, and religion for centuries.

The purpose of the visit to China was to restart and revive several Chinese projects in the South which, until AKD's Presidency and the National People's Power (NPP) Government coming to power, had been poorly managed or abandoned. The reactivation of these projects is expected to significantly encourage Sri Lanka's economy. Recognising the progress under A...