China has denied a claim by the Sri Lankan government that China will donate one million metric tons of rice to Sri Lanka.

Speaking to an English newspaper, a Chinese diplomat said that such a request had been made by Sri Lanka but China had rejected the request.

Cabinet Spokesman Ramesh Pathirana said at a media briefing before that the stock of rice is being received at the request of Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Rubber Rice Agreement signed between Sri Lanka and China.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Trade told the newspaper that the donation would be made shortly and that the Chinese government had agreed and that no change had been made.

If the relevant stock of rice is received, it will be sufficient to meet the rice requirement of the country for five months.