[InKunming--Sister Cities]  The Sri Lankan government said on Monday that it wanted to take its relationship with China to a " further higher level".

A statement released by the foreign ministry said Liu Zhenmin, China's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, recently toured the island nation as the special envoy of the Chinese government.

He, during his visit, discussed wide-ranging matters of mutual interest including political, economic, development cooperation and people-to-people contacts with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera.

Liu was accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.