PRESIDENT Xi Jinping met his Sri Lankan counterpart Maithripala Sirisena yesterday to reassess bilateral links in the wake of the electoral defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr Sirisena’s predecessor.

They reaffirmed the longstanding ties between their countries at the start of their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

Mr Xi said that Beijing considers Sri Lanka a strategic partner and wants to “again promote and elevate the China-Sri Lanka relationship to fulfil an important purpose.”

The men discussed a £1 billion China-funded port city project in Colombo which Mr Sirisena’s government suspended pending scrutiny of environment impacts and alleged corruption.

Both sides continue to back the project, but any specific changes to it must be worked out by the companies involved, said Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao.

They also signed new agreements on healthcare, construction and urban development.