Close on the heels of the US urging Sri Lanka to join an alliance against China, the Chinese Communist Party has initiated a special dialogue with the ruling SLPP meant to take bilateral relations to a higher level.

Chinese Embassy spokesperson Luo Chong said that the meeting was aimed at implementing a consensus reached by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and President Xi Jinping in their telephone conversation as well as the recent high-level visit of top leader Yang Jiechi to Colombo.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo repeatedly attacked China during his one-day visit to Colombo where he requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government to end its close relationship with China. The US asked Sri Lanka to make “difficult but necessary choices” to secure its economic independence instead of choosing opaque practices.

Luo Chong issued the following statement Thursday night (5) after the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) held an advanced seminar on governance via video, strictly abiding by the health guidelines of both countries: “

Minister Song Tao of the International Department of Central Committee of CPC, Party Secretary Liu Cigui of CPC Provincial Committee of Hainan Province, SLPP Chairman Professor G.L. Peiris, Secretary General Sagara Kariyawasam, SLPP MPs including Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Namal Rajapaksa, Ramesh Pathirana together with some State Ministers and mayors from the Western Province participated in the meeting. Ambassador-designate Qi Zhenhong joined the discussion in his self-quarantine and delivered a speech on behalf of the Chinese embassy in Sri Lanka.

“The two ruling parties of China and Sri Lanka are committed to jointly promote regular exchanges, engage in in-depth experience sharing on governance, and to enhance collaboration during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In the seminar, bilateral relations of the two countries and the two parties, suggestions on the CPC-SLPP cooperation and long-term exchanges, Hainan’s successful practice on provincial development and poverty alleviation, joint combat against COVID-19 were broadly discussed with fruitful outcomes. The CPC also gave an introduction on its Fifth Plenum of the 19th National Congress, at which the CPC Central Committee proposed the 14th Five Year Plan and the 2035 Vision, specifying China’s goal of development for the next 5-15 years. The two ruling parties also shared their opinions on aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with Sri Lanka’s “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor” to bring more tangible benefits to the two peoples. 

“Ambassador Qi expressed his pleasure and honor to attend the opening ceremony, which was his first public event after assuming the office since last Friday (30/10). Ambassador Qi said the history of China – Sri Lanka friendship is a history of mutual learning, and the friendship between our two countries and our two parties has grown stronger through the joint fight against COVID-19. He also emphasized that the experience sharing between the two ruling parties will play an important role in bilateral cooperation in the post-COVID era to come. “To overcome the huge challenge in front of us, on one hand we need to support each other in both medical supplies and financial supplies; on the other hand, we need more cooperation in disease prevention and treatment, economic revival and local governance etc. As ruling parties, CPC and SLPP should enhance experience sharing so as to better lead the two governments and the two peoples for a brighter future.” 

Up till now, the CPC has established contacts and exchanges with more than 400 political parties and organizations in over 140 countries. It also maintains friendly relations with a dozen political parties in Sri Lanka both in the government and the opposition. On October 22nd, the CPC co-host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Political Parties Forum and the BRICS Party Round-table Meeting via videolink.”