Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said that differences in opinions of certain matters will not affect the overall relationship between China and Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the Foreign Ministry regular press briefing yesterday, Lu said that the two countries have been friends in the past as well as the present.

This onservation was made when he was asked by the media on the relations between the two countries especially in the backdrop of the controversy regarding the port city.

The question and the answer is reproduced below:

Q: Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka will arrive at China for a visit today. China and Sri Lanka used to be close friends. Then there was an election of a new government, which ordered the reappraisal of some of the cooperation projects the previous government had inked with China, for example the Colombo port city project. What new agreements does the Chinese side hope to sign when the Prime Minister is here? Has the bilateral relationship turned over a new page?

A: I would like to correct what you just said. China and Sri Lanka are friends, not only in the past, but also at present. We have the confidence that our friendship will go on and on. Not only the two countries but also the two peoples enjoy amicable relationship. Bilateral relations founded on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation have been in a sound state of growth. We commend the government of Sri Lanka for its positive policies toward China and would like to take this visit as an opportunity to consolidate traditional friendship, promote pragmatic cooperation, and elevate China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincerity, mutual assistance and long-lasting friendship to a new height.

As for some of the cooperation projects between China and Sri Lanka, any two countries including those of friendly relations should follow business rules when conducting business cooperation. Different opinions emerging in the process of cooperation will not affect the overall relationship between China and Sri Lanka, still less shake the two countries' determination in promoting and deepening friendship.