The relations between Sri Lanka and China will enter a new stage on the basis of previous achievements, said Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) during his state visit to China from Jan 14 to 17 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. The interview was aired last Friday (Jan. 24).
China will actively support Sri Lanka in focusing on economic development and the two countries should jointly foster new highlights in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as cooperation in modern agriculture, digital economy and marine economy, President Xi Jinping said in the talks.
“During our talks on Jan 15, President Xi Jinping said that China’s development achievements are not only the results of endeavor in the last 10 or 20 years, but also the results of hard work by generations of Chinese people united as one. These words impressed me,” said Dissanayake in an interview with China Media Group aired on Friday.
“In my opinion, the Chinese government always puts the people first when formulating targets or plans, or implementing any policy. The new government of Sri Lanka is also working hard to fulfill its purpose of serving the people. During the meeting with President Xi Jinping, our two sides focused on how to consolidate and develop Sri Lanka-China relations. Sri Lanka and China enjoy a time-honored friendly relationship, with bilateral economic and trade exchanges boasting a history of around 1,000 years. I believe that through this visit to China and our meetings with Chinese leaders, bilateral relations will enter a new stage on the basis of previous achievements,” said Dissanayake.
Behind China’s achievements, a history of relentless struggle
The Sri Lankan President, who assumed office in September last year, said that while this was his first visit to China as president, it was not his first encounter with the nation.
“My first visit to China was in 2004 when I served as Minister of Agriculture. Two decades have passed in the blink of an eye. Over these 20 years, China has made extraordinary achievements in areas such as economy, social governance, and technology. During this visit, I can feel changes that have taken place in China,” he said.
Recalling his visits to Beijing, Shanghai, and Huawei’s R&D center, Dissanayake expressed deep admiration for China’s commitment to technological innovation.
“I have been to Beijing and Shanghai, and I also visited Huawei’s R&D center. China’s substantial investment in technological research and development has led to remarkable achievements in this area. These achievements have greatly contributed to the country’s development,” he said.
One of the key moments of his visit to China was a tour of the Museum of the Communist Party of China, where he learned about the nation’s incredible journey of overcoming challenges to achieve prosperity.
“Behind all of China’s achievements lies a history of relentless struggle. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the country has endured countless hardships, challenges and tests throughout different stages of development, ultimately achieving the prosperity it enjoys today. At the museum, I learned about the Chinese people’s journey of toil and hard work. Their unwavering belief and refusal to give up left a profound impression on me. This lesson is not unique to China. It is applicable to the development of all countries. Moreover, China’s progress in areas like space exploration, infrastructure construction, and science and technology reflects the boundless wisdom and determination of its people,” he said.
Global South
Meanwhile, President Dissanayake also said that Chinese modernization will provide experience for the development of the Global South.
According to the Sri Lankan president, Chinese modernization is of great significance to the development of the Global South countries, as it has shattered the myth of Westernization equalizing modernization.
“Each country should draw from its own characteristics to develop a modern model of growth that suits its specific needs, rather than simply replicating the development experiences of others. In exploring their own development paths, nations should consider various factors including their geographical location, resources, cultural heritage, international environment, and economic foundations,” he said.
Dissanayake spoke highly of the important initiatives proposed by China, stressing that they pave the way for global progress, especially in a period of turbulence and transformation.
“Sri Lanka is a small country with a small economy, and we are by no means a geopolitical player. The Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China have upheld the diversity of the world and provided support for meaningful global progress. Under the Global Development Initiative, human progress and development will benefit everyone. The Global Security Initiative is universal and inclusive. The Global Civilization Initiative recognizes the diverse civilizations, cultures, and people’s shared values of various countries. Each country has its own cultural identity rooted in their unique civilization, which should not undermine other cultures. I believe these three global initiatives pave the way for global development,” said Dissanayake.
Donald Trump says “India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire”.
In a post on social media platform Truth Social, the US President says: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says “India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action”.
“India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so,” he adds.
The Indian Foreign secretary – Vikram Misri has confirmed that the ceasefire between the two countries began at 17:00 local time (12:30 BST).
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar has also confirmed the news and added that “Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”
According to a statement by the Pakistan Airport Authority (APA), Pakistan’s airspace has been fully restored for all types of flights. The APA statement adds that all airports in the country are available for normal flight operations.
Virat Kohli has communicated his desire to retire from Test cricket to the BCCI ahead of the big five-match series in England starting June 20, for which he is expected to be a part of the squad. ESPNcricinfo understands that Kohli has been having these conversations with officials of the BCCI for the past month or so.
If Kohli doesn’t change his mind, he will bring the curtain down on a glorious career that has spanned 14 years and included 123 Tests – 68 of them as captain – in which he has 9230 runs at an average of 46.85.
But it hasn’t been a particularly fruitful time in the format for Kohli of late. When he scored 100 not out in the Perth Test in November 2024, it was his first century in Tests since July 2023 (against West Indies in Port of Spain), and his average, 55.10 at its peak after he scored his career best of 254 not out vs South Africa in Pune in 2019, has been 32.56 over the last 24 months. Despite that, it’s understood that the team management and selectors expect his experience to be crucial on the tour, where India will also be playing under a new captain – Shubman Gill is the frontrunner to take over from Rohit Sharma following his retirement from Test cricket earlier this week.
Kohli, as well as Rohit, were included in the highest category (A+) in the latest BCCI contracts, which is usually meant for players who play all three international formats. Both Kohli and Rohit had retired from T20Is after India won the World Cup last year and, if Kohli does retire from Tests, they will only be available for ODI cricket going forward.
Apart from Rohit, India are without R Ashwin, who retired from international cricket during the 2024-25 series in Australia. With Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane not in the mix at the moment, and Mohammed Shami’s form under scrutiny after his return from a long injury layoff, Kohli is among the only seniors around, along with KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah.
Before Rohit replaced Kohli as India’s Test captain, India had won 40 of the 68 games in which Kohli led, losing just 17. The 40 wins makes Kohli India’s most successful Test captain of all time – MS Dhoni with 27 from 60 and Sourav Ganguly with 21 from 49 rank below him – and also places him at No. 4 on the overall list of captains with the most Test wins, behind Graeme Smith (53 from 109), Ricky Ponting (48 from 77) and Steve Waugh (41 from 57).
It was in England that Kohli had recorded one of his greatest highs as a Test batter, on the 2018 tour. He was the top run-getter across the two sides in the five Tests, aggregating 583 at an average of 59.30 with two centuries. That it came after he had scored just 134 runs in ten innings on the previous tour, in 2014, made the performance that much more special. That year, 2018, was also his best in terms of aggregate for a year, when he scored 1322 runs.
During his golden run, he averaged 75.93 in 2016, 75.64 in 2017, 55.08 in 2018, and 68.00 in 2019. During that period between 2016 and 2018, Kohli scored 3596 runs in 35 Tests at an average of 66.59, with 14 hundreds and eight fifties in 58 innings.
Two separate fires broke out in Colombo this afternoon (May 10), according to the Fire Brigade.
The first incident occurred on Vauxhall Street, where a fire originating in one building quickly spread to a neighboring structure. Five fire trucks were dispatched to the scene to contain the blaze.
Around the same time, another fire was reported near the BCC Bridge on Armour Street, affecting a row of shops. Three fire trucks were dispatched to tackle the flames.
No injuries or casualties were reported in either incident.
