Vice Minister Chen Xiaohua headed a Chinese delegation to Sri Lanka on 2-6 May 2017. He held talks with officials of the Ministry of Plantation Industries, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri Lanka respectively. They exchanged views on strengthening agricultural and fisheries cooperation, and reached extensive consensus.

In his meeting with Hon. Navin Dissanayake, Minister of Plantation Industries, Vice Minister Chen stated that China and Sri Lanka have maintained friendly relations and a long history of agricultural cooperation. In recent years, bilateral trade in tea and aquatic products has kept growing, and business investment in agriculture has been progressing gradually. To further tap cooperation potential, Vice Minister Chen proposed that the two sides strengthen cooperation in the following areas: firstly, increasing exchanges on agricultural policies for deepened understanding and smooth cooperation; secondly, strengthening cooperation in agricultural technology, particularly in drawing upon each other's strengths in tea varieties breeding, planting, processing and marketing; and thirdly, intensifying cooperation in agricultural trade and investment and creating platforms for cooperation between enterprises of the two countries.

Mr. Dissanayake extended a welcome to Vice Minister Chen and thanked China for its support and assistance in economic and social development of Sri Lanka. He agreed with Vice Minister Chen and expressed the aspiration to cooperate with China in research, personnel training, mutual recognition of testing results of tea laboratories and agricultural trade.

Hon. Wasantha Aluvihare, State Minister of Agriculture of Sri Lanka, welcomed the Chinese delegation and expressed his appreciation to China for its efforts in training Sri Lankan agricultural experts and conducting investment and technical cooperation projects in Sri Lanka. He hoped that the Chinese side could provide support to Sri Lanka in seed, hybrid rice technology, agricultural machinery and personnel training.

Vice Minister Chen noted that China and Sri Lanka both attach great importance to agricultural development and have accumulated rich experience. China is willing to strengthen agricultural technology cooperation with Sri Lanka, especially in hybrid rice, and facilitate technical exchanges between agricultural research institutes from the two countries and the establishment of agricultural demonstration park. China will encourage Chinese enterprises to conduct training on agricultural machinery maintenance and technologies to promote application and extension. China will also increase exchanges on agricultural policies with Sri Lanka and intensify training for Sri Lankan technical personnel.

In the meeting with Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri Lanka, Vice Minister Chen stated that given solid foundation of bilateral fisheries cooperation, China is willing to deepen cooperation by promoting training cooperation between fishery institutes and sending Chinese experts to Sri Lanka to guide local fishery production. In addition, Vice Minister Chen suggested that the two sides cooperate in fishing, processing and logistics of aquatic products, and facilitate investment cooperation between enterprises. Mr. Amaraweera thanked China for its long-standing support in fisheries, especially in freshwater aquaculture, and looked forward to furthering cooperation with China in this regard.

During his stay in Sri Lanka, Vice Minister Chen visited the Tea Board, Tea Research Institute and Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka, learned the latest agricultural development in Sri Lanka, and listened to comments and suggestions on strengthening cooperation.

Source:Information Office, MOA Date:m 2017-05-10