Sri Lankan PM says last year's meeting with Xi continues to shape bilateral ties

Talks between Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Chinese President Xi Jinping last year continue to shape cooperation between the two countries, with Amarasuriya describing the meeting as a chance to deepen ties and reaffirm their long‑standing partnership.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired Friday, Amarasuriya spoke positively about her October 2025 meeting with Xi in Beijing, emphasizing his leadership qualities and the long‑standing friendship between Sri Lanka and China.

During that visit, Xi said China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to carry forward the partnership, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly build a China‑Sri Lanka community with a shared future, and deliver more benefits to the two peoples.

Reflecting on the meeting, Amarasuriya described Xi as "a very inspiring leader", noting his personal qualities and charisma have been central to China's development.

"He is a very inspiring leader. I don't think he would have been able to take the country, take China to where it is now without that kind of personality and that charisma. And that's very evident. I felt very privileged to have had that time with him. We discussed a range of issues. As you know, Sri Lanka and China have a long-standing, very good collaborative, friendly relationship. And both sides talked about the ways in which we can continue to take this relationship forward," said Amarasuriya.

Amarasuriya concluded that her discussions with Xi underscored both the personal qualities of China's leadership and the practical avenues for cooperation, from energy security to sustainable development. She said the meeting reaffirmed Sri Lanka's commitment to advancing its partnership with China in ways that deliver tangible benefits to both peoples.

Sri Lankan PM says last year's meeting with Xi continues to shape bilateral ties

The White House Office of Management and Budget released its 2027 budget proposal on Friday, which would raise U.S. defense spending to 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars while reducing funding for domestic programs.

The budget plan "builds on the president's vision by continuing to constrain non-defense spending and reform the federal government," according to a document published on the White House website.

At a White House event on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted the defense spending as a priority, noting that domestic responsibilities such as health care should be shifted to the states.

"We're fighting wars. We can't take care of day care. You got to let a state take care of day care, and they should pay for it, too," Trump said.

Aside from cuts to health programs, the White House budget proposal also includes cuts to refugee resettlement aid, renewable energy projects, university grants and housing programs, among others.

The president's annual budget is often seen as a reflection of the administration's priorities, though Congress ultimately holds the authority over federal spending.

The release of the White House 2027 budget proposal came as Congress remains deadlocked over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, with Democrats pushing for immigration enforcement reforms that Republicans refuse to accept. This led to a partial government shutdown that has stretched on for nearly seven weeks.

White House seeks 1.5 trillion USD in defense spending in 2027 budget proposal