Top US, Chinese, Russian officials in SL this week

Top officials from the US, China and Russia are set to visit Sri Lanka this week for high level talks with the government on a range of important issues, it was reported on Monday.

Alice Wells, the top US official who is the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, will arrive in Colombo on Tuesday, the first leg of her three South Asian nations tour, reports the Daily Financial Times.

During the two-day visit to Colombo, Wells will meet senior government officials and members of civil society to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues, including shared interests in a free and open Indo-Pacific region that fosters prosperity, democracy, justice, and human rights.

After Colombo, she will head to New Delhi and then Islamabad.

Also on Tuesday, State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi is slated to reach Sri Lanka and meet President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

It's his first overseas journey in 2020, and the highest level interaction so far after Sri Lanka elected its new President and government last November.

President Gotabaya was initially expected to visit China this week but postponed his tour due to the arrival of multiple officials.

Economic cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, education, security and investment matters are expected to be discussed.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov will also be in Colombo later this week and is scheduled to hold a media briefing following a meeting with heads of states and high-level officials.

( With inputs from IANS )