Sri Lanka opened a consulate in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Tuesday.

"Chengdu is the hub of western China," said the Sri Lanka Ambassador to China Karunatilaka Amunugama. "Opening a consulate here is important to deepen cooperation between Sri Lanka and the western areas of China," he said.

Sichuan saw a rise of trade with Sri Lanka over the years. In 2008, export of Sichuan to Sri Lanka hit 14.27 million U.S. dollars. The exported goods included television, textile, engine and parts of automobile, while Sichuan bought minerals and steel from Sri Lanka, reported Xinhua.