COLOMBO -- China and Sri Lanka expressed willingness to jointly advance high-quality development of Belt and Road during meetings held here between Sri Lankan leaders and a senior Chinese official.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met with Qin Boyong, vice-chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, executive vice-chairperson of the Central Committee of the China National Democratic Construction Association, on Wednesday and Tuesday, respectively.

Qin said China was willing to deepen the high-quality development of Belt and Road with Sri Lanka, and practical cooperation under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, to push forward their strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and a lasting friendship.

The Sri Lankan leaders thanked China for its assistance to the economic and social development of the country, saying that the new government will firmly adhere to the one-China principle and is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China, jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality and deepen cooperation in various fields.

Qin, whose delegation visited Sri Lanka from Monday to Thursday, also met with Sri Lanka's parliament speaker Jagath Wickramaratne.