On February 28, 2007, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with visiting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse in Ziguangge, Zhongnanhai.

Wen said the two countries have a time-honored history of friendly exchanges. Recent years have witnessed increasing mutual political trust, and expanded exchanges and cooperation in all areas. China and Sri Lanka have established a comprehensive cooperative partnership of sincere mutual assistance and friendship for generations, which is an evidence of ever closer ties between the two countries and marks the relations between China and Sri Lanka have entered a new stage of comprehensive development, said Wen. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and the "China-Sri Lanka Year of Friendship" and the two countries should take the opportunity to consolidate the traditional friendship and promote mutually beneficial cooperation, Wen said.

Rajapakse said the two peoples share a profound traditional friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 50 years ago, bilateral friendly cooperation in all areas has scored remarkable achievements, he said. The projects aided by China in Sri Lanka have become a symbol of bilateral friendship, he said. As a friend of China, Sri Lanka is pleased about the enormous achievements of China's economic and social development and looks forward to a closer comprehensive cooperative partnership in the future, he added.

Both leaders agreed that the two countries are highly complementary in economy and enjoy a sound basis for economic and trade cooperation as well as broad prospect for development. The two governments should encourage their businesses to invest and develop in each other's countries and strengthen cooperation in areas like agriculture, fishery, tourism, infrastructure construction, and energy and resources development, they said.