Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Sunday held talks with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and discussed a host of issues, including promoting tourism, investments and the fight against Covid-19 as the two countries marked the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Wang, also the State Councillor, arrived here on Saturday from the Maldives on a two-day visit during which he is scheduled to meet the country’s top leadership.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa took to Twitter to announce that he had a “very pleasant meeting” with Wang. “Had a very pleasant meeting with the Foreign Min of #China. Discussions centred around the logistics of facilitating the return of the many #lka (Lankan) med students to China. Also discussed were a host of issues inc Tourism, investments, #COVID19SL relief & post Covid preparedness,” he tweeted.

According to foreign secretary Jayanath Colombage, foreign minister Wang will also meet President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Lankan foreign minister G.L. Peiris.

The relationship between the two countries has been under stress in the recent months. China protested against Sri Lanka’s rejection of an organic fertiliser shipment that local farmers and some experts claimed was contaminated.

The Sri Lankan commercial high court here blocked payment for it despite top-level interventions by China. The Chinese blacklisted the Sri Lankan state bank for not honouring the payment.

However, on Friday, on the eve of Wang’s visit, the Sri Lanka’s People’s Bank released $6.9 million to the Chinese company.

China in December suspended a project to install hybrid energy plants in three islands of Sri Lanka, citing “security concern” from a “third party”, amid reports of India raising concern over its location.

In early 2021, India lodged a “strong protest” with Lanka on the award of the tender to the Chinese company for the construction of renewable energy power plants in Delft, Nagadeepa and Analthivu.