Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris said Thursday that the Sri Lankan government was ready to enhance cooperation with China, as the country was entering a new era of development and opportunities.

Peiris made the remarks when meeting in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Peiris, who is on his first official visit to China since taking office, is accompanied by a delegation including entrepreneurs engaged in information technology and trade.

He said the Sri Lanka-China relationship had great potential to develop given the current situation, and that his country was willing to work together with China to strengthen the traditional bilateral friendship.

Sri Lanka's new cabinet was sworn in on April 23.

Peiris arrived in southwest Sichuan Province on Aug. 8 for the China tour. The five-day visit also took him to Shanghai, where he visited a research center of Chinese telecom equipment giant Huawei Technologies and the Shanghai World Expo site.

Peiris also expressed appreciation of China's support for Sri Lanka's efforts to safeguard independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Yang said China has always attached great importance to developing ties with Sri Lanka, and was ready to expand bilateral cooperation of mutual benefit.

"China and Sri Lanka are friends and trust each other equally, and can also work together as partners to withstand difficulties," Yang said.