Courtesy CGTN

The People’s Republic of China and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka issued a joint statement on Friday deepening bilateral traditional friendship and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation.

The China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership based on sincere mutual assistance and everlasting friendship has become a fine example of friendly interactions and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries of different sizes, and carries special and important significance for both countries, said the joint statement.

Noting China and Sri Lanka have achieved fruitful outcomes on Belt and Road cooperation, Sri Lanka reiterated it will continue to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, it added.

The two sides expressed satisfaction over the progress made in bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, and agreed to conclude a comprehensive free trade agreement as quickly as possible to strengthen two-way trade and economic cooperation, said the statement.

Both sides also agreed to continue to deepen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between sister cities, it added.