Sri Lanka, March 25 -- Sri Lanka is keen to expand ties with the Yunnan province in China which shares many similarities with Sri Lanka, especially in the areas of trade, economy, and tourism, says State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya.

He made this remark in his address at the Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry of Sri Lanka on Thursday (March 23) to mark the arrival of a delegation from the Yunnan province.

Addressing the gathering on "strengthening economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and China, especially with the Yunnan province", the lawmaker traced Sri Lanka's ties to the Yunnan Province to the 15th Century AD when Admiral Zheng He, who was born in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, visited Sri La...