China was ready to work with Sri Lanka to lift the bilateral relations into a new high, said a senior official with the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing Wednesday.

 

Wu Guanzheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a meeting with a delegation of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

 

China and Sri Lanka enjoy long-term history of friendly exchanges, Wu said, noting that since forging diplomatic ties 49 years ago, the two nations have witnessed fruitful cooperation in politics, economy and culture, and the two peoples have established profound friendship.

 

Next year would mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic ties, and also the year of China-Sri Lanka friendship.

 

"China would take this as an opportunity to join in Sri Lanka to enrich the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the two nations," Wu noted.

 

Wu expressed his appreciation for Sri Lanka's firm support to China in the issues concerning Taiwan, Tibet and human rights.

 

Speaking highly of the China-Sri Lanka party-to-party relations, Wu said the CPC always attached great importance to the relations with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, and was ready to increase exchanges and cooperation between the two parties, in an effort to push for the China-Sri Lanka relations.

 

Wu also briefed the guests on China's current economic and social situation.

 

Head of the delegation Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, vice-president of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and also Minister of Information and Media of Sri Lanka, praised the traditional friendship between the two nations.

 

Yapa expressed appreciation for China's assistance to Sri Lanka.

 

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Sri Lanka government would firmly adhere to one-China policy, Yapa said, hoping that the two parties would further increase their friendly exchanges, so as to make contribution to the development of Sri Lanka-China relations.

 

Yapa and his delegation were here on a visit to China from October 19 to 28 as guests of the CPC.

 

Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, also met with Yapa on Wednesday. The two sides exchanged views on party-to-party relations.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 26, 2006)