Chinese President Xi Jingping is expected to discuss the implementation of the second phase of the Hambantota Port Project, the Port City and Colombo City Railway Project with President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his visit to Sri Lanka in September.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao said this when he met a group of visiting journalists from Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing.

President Xi will also Commission the Phase 2 of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Project.

Mr. Jianchao said the Chinese people have a special place in the hearts for Sri Lanka. It was one of the first countries to help China when it faced western sanctions at the time the New Chinese Nation was established in 1949.

He said Sri Lanka was going through a rapid development process and that China was willing to help in anyway it could.

"Sri Lanka is a stable country and stability is important to achieve a nation’s goals," Mr. Jianchao said adding that China was hoping to strengthen its relations with SAARC countries. (Supun Dias in Beijing)