President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to meet separately with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji this week, as Sri Lanka begins recovery efforts following the severe impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
According to a senior government official, while the immediate focus of both meetings will be the aftermath of the natural disaster, discussions will also extend to economic cooperation, bilateral ties, and key regional matters.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is due to arrive in the country tomorrow with a senior delegation. He will hold talks with President Dissanayake the following day and is expected to deliver a personal message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The discussions will cover several areas of collaboration, including the strengthening of economic relations. The President is also expected to formally express the government’s and public’s gratitude for India’s assistance during the crisis.
Meanwhile, Zhao Leji, a senior Chinese leader and the third-most powerful official in China after President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, will arrive on Tuesday for a two-day visit. He is scheduled to meet President Dissanayake on the same day, accompanied by a high-level delegation.
The government source said talks with the Chinese delegation will focus on Sri Lanka’s immediate post-cyclone requirements, potential future assistance from China, and further strengthening of bilateral relations.
In addition, the source revealed that although Parliament has approved a supplementary allocation of Rs. 500 billion for cyclone relief this year, a comparable amount will be required next year to support affected communities. However, due to fiscal limitations and commitments under the IMF programme, additional spending this year will remain restricted, making further assistance next year essential.
