China yesterday said it wants an early implementation of an action plan to improve ties with Sri Lanka agreed to with the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, even as the USD 1.5 billion strategic Colombo Port City project awaits the nod of the new government, a report by Outlook said.

China is willing to work with the Sri Lankan side to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and to continue to advance practical cooperation, Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan told the visiting Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera in Beijing.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Sri Lanka last September, the two heads of states witnessed the signing of an action plan to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen strategic cooperative partnership, state-run Xinhua news agency noted in its report on yesterday’s meeting.

During his visit, Xi had also laid foundation stone for the 233 hectare port to be built on reclaimed land.

It was expected to be key to China's plans to build a Maritime Silk Road in the Indian Ocean.

Besides concerns over its environmental impact, the new Sri Lankan government headed by Maithripala Sirisena has probed allegations of corruption by the Rajapaksa government which cleared the project.

Chang hailed the traditional friendship between China and Sri Lanka.

Noting that the first China-Sri Lanka defence cooperation dialogue was held in Beijing last year, Chang said, "China is willing to make full use of the dialogue, expand cooperation and exchanges in various fields and levels, and maintain the smooth development of military-to-military ties."

Expressing gratitude for China's support and assistance to his country's development, Perera said practical cooperation between the two navies in such areas as personal training had yielded fruitful results. He expressed hope that his visit will further strengthen friendly ties between the two militaries.
(With inputs from Outlook)