Commenting on the recent Presidential election in which Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular media conference that the election held smoothly on September 21, and as Sri Lanka’s friendly neighbour, China and Sri Lanka have all along treated each other with mutual respect and support.

“China expresses heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Dissanayake who was elected as Sri Lanka’s new president and was sworn into office. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to President Dissanayake," he said.

When asked about China's confidence in Sri Lanka's commitment to repaying its loans, Lin emphasized that China and Sri Lanka share a long-standing friendship.