Sri Lanka President holds talks with China President

Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping a month after visiting India on his first overseas trip since winning the election in September.

The support of the two regional powerhouses — and rivals — is crucial for Sri Lanka to emerge from its worst economic crisis in decades.

China’s support is vital for Sri Lanka to restructure its external debt. China accounts for about 10% of Sri Lanka’s loans, more than Japan or the Asian Development Bank.