Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Wei Huaxiang (L, C) and Asiri Karunawardena (R, C), secretary to Sri Lanka's Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, attend the signing ceremony of an agreement on implementing a China Aid project that rebuilds 14 bridges destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sept. 28, 2026. China and Sri Lanka on Monday signed an agreement on implementing a China Aid project that rebuilds 14 bridges destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah. (Xinhua/Wu Ziyu)

China and Sri Lanka on Monday signed an agreement on implementing a China Aid project that rebuilds 14 bridges destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah.

A signing ceremony was held on Monday morning at Sri Lanka's Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, attended by Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Wei Huaxiang and Asiri Karunawardena, secretary to the ministry.

"Following the Sri Lankan side's request for assistance in infrastructure rebuilding, a team of Chinese experts was promptly sent to Sri Lanka to conduct on-site assessments, and the Chinese side fast-tracked the approval process of the projects," said Wei.

He pledged to work side-by-side with the Sri Lankan side to develop and manage the project with care, so as to deliver tangible benefits to the Sri Lankan people.

Acknowledging the Chinese side's assistance, Karunawardena expressed confidence that the project will not only address post-disaster transportation difficulties, but also improve Sri Lanka's transportation infrastructure as a whole.

Sri Lanka was hit by Cyclone Ditwah in late November to early December in 2025. The devastating storm caused more than 600 deaths and an estimated 4.1 billion U.S. dollars of damage.