Sri Lankan external affairs minister will undertake an official visit to China next week to strengthen bilateral relations, the government said here Friday.
G.L. Peiris will make an official visit to China as a special envoy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa from Feb. 10-13 2014, Xinhua quoted the Sri Lankan foreign ministry in a statement as saying.
The visit is to be undertaken at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi.
Political analysts believe the visit could be aimed at drumming up support for the Rajapaksa government ahead of a third resolution spearheaded by the US on Sri Lanka's poor human rights record that will be presented before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March.
The Sri Lankan government has consistently denied allegations of war crimes that surfaced after a three decade war ended in 2009 and have insisted it needs more time to implement reconciliation measures.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app