China and Sri Lanka: Neighborly Relations in a Rapidly Evolving World

Sri LankaSri Lanka has enjoyed a wonderfully close relationship with ChinaChina that has spanned over two millennia, despite the forbidding mountain ranges and threatening oceans that separate the two countries. These distances and the physical obstacles have not, however, prevented the two states from developing close bonds based on mutual interest. Despite constant contacts over this long period, there is no record of China ever attempting to establish a permanent presence in the country or colonize it despite Sri Lanka’s attractive strategic location, natural wealth and comfortable living conditions.