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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has arrived in the island, a short while ago, following the conclusion of his four-day state visit to China.

On the final day of his visit, President Disanayake held a meeting this morning with Wang Xiaohui, the Secretary of the Communist Party of China for the Sichuan Province.

Subsequently, the President toured the Dongfang Electric Corporation located in the Chengdu City, the capital city of the province of Sichuan.

Marking the conclusion of his state visit, President Disanayake also visited the Shanqi Model Village, which showcases sustainable rural development and revitalization efforts, as well as the National Science, Technology, and Agriculture Centre in Sichuan.

The delegation accompanying the President included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, who participated in these engagements..

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived at the Beijing International Airport today (14) on his first state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

President Dissanayake was accorded a ceremonial welcome by the Chinese military, and he was formally received by China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong.

The route taken by President Anura Kumara Disanayake was elegantly decorated on both sides with the national flags of both nations, symbolizing mutual respect and diplomacy, the President’s Media Division said.

During this state visit, the President is scheduled to participate in several key engagements, including field visits focused on technological and agricultural development, as well as initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation. The visit also includes high-level business meetings and discussions.

Furthermore, several Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and China are expected to be signed during the visit.

The delegation accompanying President Dissanayake includes Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake Ambassador of People’s Republic of China in Colombo Qi Zhenhong and Sri Lankan Ambassador Majintha Jayesinghe.

The Ministry of Energy has issued a special announcement regarding the revision of electricity tariffs recommended by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) today.

Accordingly, it states that once the new electricity tariff revision recommended by the PUCSL is officially received, it will be implemented by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) following the advice of the Ministry of Finance.

The PUCSL today announced that it has decided to reduce electricity tariffs by an average amount of 20% overall with effect from midnight today (17) and that this is for the first 06 months of the year.

President Anura Kumara Disanayake departed the country a short while ago to commence a four-day state visit to the People’s Republic of China.

Undertaken at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the visit will take place from January 14 to January 17, 2025. During this visit, President Disanayake is scheduled to engage in high-level discussions with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and other senior Chinese officials, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations and explore avenues for enhanced cooperation between the two nations.

The President is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake and the Director General of Government Information, H.S.K.J. Bandara.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, currently on a four-day state visit to China, met with the Secretary of the Communist Party of China for Sichuan Province, Wang Xiaohui this morning (Jan 17).

According to a President’s Office statement, Chengdu, one of the happiest cities in China, is the capital of Sichuan Province and a leading city where the blend of cultural heritage and development harmoniously flourishes, offering its residents a high quality of life.

During the discussions, both sides explored the potential to elevate economic, trade, cultural, tourism, and intergovernmental relations between Sichuan and Sri Lanka to new heights.

Sichuan’s significant achievements in various sectors, including energy, were acknowledged, and the President invited the Secretary of the Sichuan province to share their expertise and success stories with Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake emphasized that Sri Lanka is currently on a path to economic stabilization under a transparent and investor-friendly administration.

He noted that the country is at a critical political turning point, with the current government empowered by a two-thirds majority granted by a united population from the north, east, west, and south. “The government is fully committed to meeting the expectations placed upon it by its citizens,” he said.

Additionally, the President underscored Sri Lanka’s attractiveness as a destination for Chinese tourists and extended a warm invitation to the people of Sichuan to visit the island and experience its exceptional hospitality.

Joining the discussions were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath and Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake.

The Department of Prisons has made special arrangements for visitations for Hindu prisoners in view of the Thai Pongal Festival, celebrated tomorrow (14 Jan).

Accordingly, relatives of Hindu inmates will be provided an opportunity to meet the inmates with arrangements being made at prisons nationwide.

The department has instructed visitors to only bring food sufficient for one inmate during their visit.

The visitations have been arranged in accordance with health guidelines and according to the prison rules.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Power and Energy and China’s Sinopec Corporation have signed an agreement to build an oil refinery in Hambantota with an investment of USD 3.7 billion.

The agreement was signed during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s current state visit to China, marking the highest foreign investment secured by the government, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

The proposed oil refinery has a capacity of 200,000 barrels of oil, of which a significant amount is planned to be exported.

This massive investment received by Sri Lanka from China will contribute to the economic growth of the country as well as strengthening the livelihoods of the low-income people in the Hambantota area, and the entire Sri Lankan people very soon, the PMD said in a statement.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Ratnayake, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, and Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Majintha Jayasinghe also participated in this event.

Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala says that steps have been taken to place the Financial Crimes Investigation Division under a Deputy Inspector General of Police.

The minister added that the division will continue to operate under a senior deputy inspector general of police of the Criminal Investigation Department.

According to Minister Ananda Wijepala, this will help regularize and expedite investigations in this regard.

The Financial Crimes Investigation Division, which was established to investigate financial crimes, has been inactive in the past few days.

Minister Ananda Wijepala stated that a cabinet paper will be submitted on the 20th regarding several structural changes in the police.

The Colombo High Court today sentenced Gampola Vidanalage Samantha Kumara, also known as "Wele Suda," his wife, and another woman to eight years of rigorous imprisonment each.

The sentences were handed down by High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige following a lengthy trial.

The trio was found guilty under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for possessing assets worth millions of rupees, which were acquired through heroin trafficking.

In addition to the prison sentences, the court imposed fines on the convicts and ordered the confiscation of illegally acquired assets, including money and gold.

The Sri Lanka Police distributed 30 advanced speed guns, valued at over Rs. 91 million, during a ceremony held on January 11, 2025, at Police Headquarters. Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya presided over the event.

As part of the first phase, the devices were allocated to divisional officers in Negombo, Kelaniya, and Gampaha, as well as the Southern Traffic Division of the Western Province. Future plans include distributing the equipment nationwide, along with officer training on device usage.

The U.S.-manufactured speed guns utilize laser technology and are effective in nighttime operations.

In 2024, 24,589 traffic accidents were reported in Sri Lanka, with 2,242 fatal crashes causing 2,253 deaths. Police addressed 31,182 speeding violations, and 731 accidents were linked directly to excessive speed. Authorities aim to reduce such incidents through these new measures.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China.

China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said "China and Sri Lanka have seen a deepening strategic cooperative partnership based on sincere mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship and fruitful outcomes in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and multi-sectoral exchanges and cooperation, which have delivered tangible benefits to their peoples."

In response to an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is currently on a state visit to China, visited the exhibition hall on the history of the Communist Party of China today (15).

Following this, President Disanayake visited the historic Prince Kung's Palace Museum in China.

Later, he paid his respects by offering flowers at the Mao Zedong Memorial, dedicated to the founding leader of the People's Republic of China.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, also participated in these events.

Train services have been disrupted between the Ohiya and Idalgasinna railway stations due to a landslide caused by the ongoing adverse weather conditions, the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation announced today (12).

The landslide has led to delays in several train services, including the night mail train from Colombo Fort to Badulla and the scheduled train from Badulla to Colombo Fort.

Both trains will be delayed until the affected section of the railway line is cleared and made safe for operations.

The Railway Department has deployed teams to the site to remove the debris and restore normal train services as quickly as possible.

Authorities are working around the clock to clear the obstruction and resume rail operations.

Passengers are advised to expect delays and check for updates on the status of the train services.

The Ministry is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further information as the restoration work progresses.