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China reaffirms unstinted support for Sri Lanka
China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Luo Zhaohui has re-emphasised his country’s all-round support to Colombo when he met Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Palitha Kohona last week.
Vice Minister Luo warmly welcomed the Ambassador and stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China will continue to extend its fullest support to the Ambassador in Beijing and effusively acknowledged his long standing connections with China.
The long discussion that followed included cooperation and mutual support in international fora, in economic matters, for post Covid-19 recovery, effective management of the Covid-19 pandemic and future high-level visits. Vice Minister Luo assured of China’s support to Sri Lanka at the UNHRC and its continued assistance as Sri Lanka confronts a critical economic challenge.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry will proactively support efforts to increase Chinese tourism to Sri Lanka and more businesses, including SOEs, to invest in the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Industrial Zone. The Vice Minister acknowledged that it was time for these two Chinese supported ventures to get off the ground. Both parties agreed that the recommencement of negotiations on the bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the view to concluding it soon would be advantageous to Sri Lanka. Dr. Kohona also raised the issue of non-tariff barriers which are hindering access to the lucrative Chinese market for a range of natural, agricultural and industrial products.
Dr. Kohona commended China for successfully eliminating extreme poverty by 2020 consistent with a key SDG and congratulated the Communist Party of China as it celebrated its 100th year Anniversary. China’s spectacular success could be attributed to the prudent management of the country by the Party.
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Concessionary priced food packages for new ‘Aswesuma’ applicants from 01st to 13th April
In keeping with the proposal by the President in his 2025 budget, for the provision of a package essential goods at a concessionary price during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival season, it has been planned to provide a food package containing essential food items valued at Rs. 5000/- for only Rs. 2,500/-.
It is expected to select appropriate beneficiaries from among the 812,753 candidates who have submitted new applications for Aswesuma benefits.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development jointly with the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to take necessary steps to provide the food package to the beneficiaries through the Lanka Sathosa outlet network and COOPFED outlets from 01.04.2025 to 13.04.2025
The Cabinet of Ministers have decided as follows considering the resolutions submitted by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development along with the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Governments on payment of salaries according to the revised salary scales with effect from 01.04.2025 based on the resolution furnished by the President for revising the salaries of government service by the budget 2025;
• To empower the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Governments to issue circular instructions to the the secretaries of all the Ministries, Local Government Secretaries and Heads of Departments in regard to salary revisions of the government service.
• To empower the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to issue circular instructions for state corporations, statutory boards and fully government owned companies and other institutions.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted to amend the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 for remedying the shortcomings related to the transparency according to the international standards for prevention of money laundering, financing terrorism and other illegal activities.
Accordingly, the draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman has been revised as per instructions provided by the Attorney General subject to the special decision of the Supreme Court No. SC/SD/92/2024 and clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the final draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Safety and Cooperative Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently submit to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Concessionary priced food packages for new ‘Aswesuma’ applicants from 01st to 13th April
Salary revision of the Government Service – 2025
Amendment of the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 to be Gazetted
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