Sri Lanka – China Trade & Investment Forum 2025 Marks a New Chapter in Bilateral Economic Collaboration

The Sri Lanka - China Trade and Investment Forum 2025, held today in Colombo, brought together over 115 senior representatives from 77 leading Chinese enterprises alongside key members of Sri Lanka’s public and private sectors. The high-level event was co-hosted by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka–China Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber, and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME).

The Forum was inaugurated in the presence of Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, His Excellency Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Qi Zhenhong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Sri Lanka, and Mr. Krishan Balendra, Vice Chairman of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Welcoming the delegation, Minister Jayantha highlighted Sri Lanka’s deep-rooted friendship with China, noting that bilateral ties are built on “shared values, mutual respect, and a history of growing economic cooperation.” Referring to the recent 8th Session of the China-Sri Lanka Joint Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation, held just ahead of the Forum, he highlighted the importance of continuous dialogue in enhancing trade and investment flows between the two nations.

Minister Wentao emphasized that China stands ready to support Sri Lanka’s development journey, recommending that the two countries expand trade and economic cooperation to boost development, and explore more opportunities for multilateral trading systems in order to ensure resilience and sustainability.

Mr. Krishan Balendra, Vice Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber, echoed the Minister’s sentiments, emphasising the Chamber’s commitment to enabling cross-border partnerships and offering a platform for constructive engagement. “We are creating a conducive environment for doing business, underpinned by transparency, predictability, and sustainability,” he noted.

The Chinese delegation, representing four major trade chambers - CCCME, China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products, China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles, and the China International Chamber of Commerce for the Private Sector - expressed strong interest in forming partnerships across a wide array of sectors.

The Forum also facilitated B2B meetings and discussions on investments in the automotive value chain, tea plantation and enterprise development, and partnerships in renewable energy, clean technology, engineering, construction, and water treatment.