President Xi Jinping met with his Sri Lankan counterpart Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday in Beijing, calling on the two sides to deepen their cooperation in every sector.

It was the first visit paid by the president to China since he took office in Janaury.

Maithripala Sirisena arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a four-day visit against the background that his administration has ordered review over China's biggest investment project in the island over allegations of wrongdoing.

The suspension of the $1.4 billion Colombo port city project has caused concern from the Chinese side, defending that the project was in line with local law.

In the meeting, Xi recalled his visit to the island last year and said he was impressed by the hospitality of the people there.

China "puts Sri Lanka on an important position among its neighborhood diplomacy", Xi said, pledging that the two sides continue to deepen their cooperation in every sector and work together to lift their traditional ties.

China, which has invested millions of dollars in Sri Lanka's infrastructure, is now the island's biggest investor.