Sri Lanka will receive its largest FDI from China with a $3.7 billion investment in an oil refinery under China's BRI. Sinopec's refinery deal competes with India's strategic interests in Sri Lanka's energy market.

Sri Lanka’s Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has held talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, one month after visiting India on his first overseas trip since winning election in September.

Sinopec, China's state-owned and largest oil refiner, signed an agreement with Sri Lanka's energy ministry to invest $3.7 billion in a state-of-the-art oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels, Dissanayake's office announced Thursday.

China will continue to play a "positive role" in the International Monetary Fund and maintain friendly communication with other creditors, in assisting Sri Lanka to achieve financial relief and debt sustainability,

Dissanayake incidentally was a critic of the Hambantota port deal for its long-term lease while he was in the opposition.It was seen as a balancing act as last year India and Sri Lanka inked a deal to jointly develop 85 Word War II-era oil storage tanks at the strategic Trincomalee port in the eastern region of the country.

BEIJING (Reuters) -China and Sri Lanka agreed on more investment and economic cooperation on Wednesday as China's President Xi Jinping met recently-elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Beijing.

Sri Lanka and China have agreed to work towards the early conclusion of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in “one package” in line with the principles of equality, mutual benefit and win-win