Sri Lanka China Relations

Ancient ties

Sri Lanka and China are traditional friendly countries with the relations dating back over many centuries. Relations were fostered by thriving trade exchanges along the Maritime Silk Route and far reaching cooperation in culture and knowledge. In 410 AD, the Chinese Buddhist scholar Fa Xian had spent around two years in Sri Lanka. While in Sri Lanka, he had translated Buddhist scriptures which he brought back to China and wrote a book titled “A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms” making a substantive contribution for the enhancement of people to people contacts. The Chinese navigator Admiral Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty had sailed to Sri Lanka many times between 1405 - 1433. A stone tablet erected by Zheng He is kept in the National Museum of Sri Lanka which stands as testimony to the history and friendship between Sri Lanka and China.

Establishment of Diplomatic Relations

Sri Lanka extended diplomatic recognition to the People’s Republic of China in January 1950, First Country in South Asia. In April 1952, the two countries entered into the historic Rubber-Rice Pact whereby Sri Lanka supplied rubber to China under a barter arrangement, receiving rice from China in return. It was one of the first agreements that the People’s Republic of China signed with a non-communist country. The two countries established full diplomatic relations on 7th February 1957 and set up Resident Embassies in each other’s capitals. Consequent to the establishment of diplomatic relations both countries took a number of steps in the political, economic, trade and cultural fields to strengthen their bilateral relations.

High-level visits

Sri Lanka – China relations have thrived over the years through frequent high level visits between the two countries.

• State Visit of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka to China in January 2025

President Anura Kumara Disanayaka made a State Visit to the People’s Republic of China in January 2025 where 15 Memoranda of Understanding were signed by the two sides, including a grant of RMB 500 million from the Chinese Government on economic and technical cooperation, and establishment of an Investment and Economic Cooperation Working Group. President Disanayaka also held fruitful bilateral discussions with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Zhao Leji.

• Visit of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya to China in October 2026

Hon. Prime Minister (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya undertook a visit to the People’s Republic of China from 12th to 15th October 2025 to address the ‘Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women 2025’ on 13 October 2025, which was co-chaired by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and UN Women. During the visit, Prime Minister Amarasuriya met with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress of China, Wang Huning.

• Visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC Wang Yi to Sri Lanka in January 2026

Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Wang Yi undertook a brief visit to Sri Lanka in January 2025 and held productive bilateral discussions with Hon. Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. The meeting aimed at further strengthening bilateral engagement and advancing the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries. The discussion also focused on enhancing partnership in the areas of trade, investment, development cooperation and tourism.

• Other High-level visit from Sri Lanka to China since the establishment of diplomatic relations

Some of the Sri Lankan leaders who have visited China include: Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike (1961, 1972), Foreign Minister A.C.S. Hameed (1979), President J.R. Jayewardena (1984), Prime Minister R. Premadasa (1979, 1988), Prime Minister D.B. Wijetunga (1989), President Chandrika Kumaratunga (1996, 2005), Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (2003), Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar (2004) and  Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike (2005), Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama (2009), Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake (2009), Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris (2010, 2011, 2014), Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratna (2010, 2011), President Mahinda Rajapakse (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014), President Maithripala Sirisena (2015, 2019),  Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera (2015, 2016), Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (2016, 2017), Minister of Foreign Affairs Tilak Marapana (2017), President Ranil Wickremesinghe (2023),  Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardene (2023, 2024), Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry (2023).

• Other High-level visit from China to Sri Lanka since the establishment of diplomatic relations

Some of the Chinese leaders  who have visited Sri Lanka include: Premier Zhou Enlai (1957 and 1964), Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the NPC Deng Yingchao (1977), Vice Premier Geng Biao (1978), Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Huang Hua (1981), State Counselor and Foreign Minister Wu Xueqian (1985), President Li Xiannian (1986), Premier Li Peng (1990), Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qin Qichen (1994), Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the NPC Chen Muhua (1997), Chairman of the CPPCC Li Ruihuan (1999), Premier Zhu Rongji (2001) and Premier Wen Jiaboa (2005), Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zheng Yue (2009), Vice Premier of China Zhang Dejiang (2010), Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC Hua Jianmin (2011) and Vice-Chairperson of the National Committee of the CPPCC Zhang Meiying (2011), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Wu Bangguo (2012), Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Yan Junqi (2013), President Xi Jinping (2014), Asst. Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Jianchao (2015), Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Zhang Baowen (2015), Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (2016, 2020, 2022, 2026), Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the NPC Wang Dongming (2025).

Sri Lankan Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike with Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai in Sri Lanka in 1957

Chairman Mao Zedong greeting Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1962

Signing of the Sri Lanka - China Joint Statement by Prime Minister Bandaranaike and Prime Minister Zhou Enlai in 1962

Prime Minister Bandaranaike with Chairman Mao Zedong in 1962

President R. Premadasa gifting a baby elephant to China in 1964

President J.R. Jayawardena at the Chinese built Courts Complex in 1978

President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Guard of Honour with President Hu Jintao, during the State Visit to China in 2007

President Mahinda Rajapaksa hands over the baby Elephant Migara to Beijing Zoo in 2007, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic relations between the two countries

President Rajapaksa unveils the Samadhi Buddha statue at Lingguang Temple in 2007, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic relations between the two countries

State Visit of President Xi Jinping to Sri Lanka in 2014

State Visit of President Maithripala Sirisena to China in 2015

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and Member of the State Council Wang Yi at the Presidential Secretariat on 09 January 2022 further strengthening the 65 years of Diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka

President Anura Kumara Disanayaka at the Guard of Honour with President Xi Jinping, during the State Visit to China in January 2025

President Anura Kumara Disanayaka held productive discussions with Premier Li Qiang, during the State Visit to China in January 2025

Prime Minister (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya held fruitful discussions with Premier Li Qiang, during her visit to China in October 2025

Prime Minister (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya delivered the keynote speech at the ‘Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women 2025’ on 13 October 2025 held in Beijing

• Economic Cooperation and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

Sri Lanka and China share a strong economic partnership including within the framework of the BRI. Sri Lanka has been a partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, stemming from Sri Lanka’s aspirations for economic development, infrastructure enhancement, and regional connectivity. Chinese partnership in mega-infrastructure projects such as the Hambantota Port, Hambantota Industrial Zone and Colombo Port City project have contributed to the socio-economic development of Sri Lanka.

China is the 10th Export destination and the 1st import origin for Sri Lanka. In 2024, total trade between the two countries stood at USD 4,584.39 Mn with USD 4,332.48 Mn exports and USD 251.91 Mn imports.

Cultural and People-to-People ties

People-to-People contacts are one of the most important aspects of our bilateral relations. Chinese tourist arrivals have been one of the key strengths to the Sri Lankan tourism industry, with China ranking as one of the top 5 tourist source destinations. 132,035 Chinese tourists have visited Sri Lanka in 2025 and 131,681 visited in 2024. Religious ties between the two countries are also significant. In addition to Sri Lankan students engaged in higher studies in China, Chinese Post Graduate students study in Sri Lanka.