|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Friday, 28 January 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Politics | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
| Kadirgamar's visit to China:PTA to be discussed; Consulate in Shanghai to be established Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar made his first bilateral visit to China since assuming office in the present government. The visit scheduled for December 28 to 30, 2004, was curtailed after the tsunami disaster. The Minister called on Vice President Zeng Qinghong, State Councillor Chen Zhili, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Commerce Minister Bo Xilai and Chairman He Guangwei of the China National Tourism Administration. During the call on the Vice President, the Foreign Minister summarised the substance of his earlier discussions with the other senior officials, and the Vice President stated that he would extend his full cooperation for implementing the various decisions reached, states a Foreign Ministry press release. On trade matters, the Minister of Commerce agreed to consider favourably the formulation of a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in view of the close friendship between the two countries. It was agreed that negotiations on the technical aspects of the PTA would be commenced soon and accelerated. China would also consider facilitating the entry of a pre-determined quantity of Sri Lankan tea into the Chinese market. The Minister welcomed steps already initiated by Sri Lanka to open a consulate in Shanghai in view of the growing demand for such an office by the business and travel sectors. This initiative was also favourably received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The request that the Chinese government nominate two Chinese nationals as Honorary Consuls in two other Chinese cities of economic and travel importance was also favourably received. With regard to strengthening bilateral relations Kadirgamar, in his capacity as Chairman of the Council of Management of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS), repeated the request he had earlier made to Chinese leaders who had visited Sri Lanka that the Chinese government present sculptures of Mao Tse Tung, Chou En Lai and Deng Xiao Ping to be placed in the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies and the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Convention Centre. The Chinese government agreed to do so. The Minister also announced that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had decided to rename the Convention Centre as the 'China-Sri Lanka Friendship Convention Centre'. The BCIS has decided to institute an annual lecture titled 'The Chou En Lai Memorial Oration' to be delivered by a distinguished Chinese speaker. It was also proposed to establish a division for China-Sri Lanka Studies at the BCIS. Consideration would be given to Kadirgamar's proposal to create a China-Sri Lanka Foundation with matching financial contributions from both sides to facilitate the exchanges of parliamentarians, scholars, artists, speakers and skilled youth. It was decided that to strengthen cooperation between the two Foreign Ministries official consultations would take place on an annual basis. The Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing agreed to visit Sri Lanka on the invitation of Minister Kadirgamar. Plans are being made for a visit by President Kumaratunga to China in mid-2005. On international cooperation it was agreed that China and Sri Lanka would continue to work closely in various international fora on a number of matters on which the two States have taken common positions including trade, agriculture, the environment and human rights issues. Sri Lanka re-affirmed its 'One China Policy' which is based on its recognition that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of China. The Chinese side reiterated its firm commitment to the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. On regional cooperation, Kadirgamar outlined the history of China's stated interest in establishing a linkage with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and explained that the matter was under consideration by the Secretary General of SAARC who was authorised at the last SAARC Summit held in Islamabad to submit to the 13th Summit which will be held in Dhaka a note on modalities for establishing dialogue partnerships with SAARC. Sri Lanka's own view that SAARC should establish a link with China was indicated at the Male Summit in November 1997. The Chinese government agreed to provide more scholarships for Sri Lankan students in China in the fields of science and technology and Chinese language training for foreign office officials, tour guides and students at the Open University and the University of Peradeniya. It was agreed that the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry would make detailed proposals. Both sides looked forward to the opening of a direct air link between Colombo and Beijing by SriLankan Airlines in mid-2005. With the establishment of this air link it was confidently expected that tourist traffic between the two countries would increase significantly. Questions relating to Chinese investment in Sri Lanka would be taken up when President Kumaratunga visits China accompanied by a business delegation. The Commerce Minister, stated that everything possible would be done to increase trade and tourism and promote Chinese investment in Sri Lanka. Kadirgamar delivered a lecture titled 'The Peaceful Ascendancy of China: A South Asian Perspective' at the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS). He also had discussions with officials of the CIIS and the China People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), which was founded in 1949 by Chou En Lai, to arrange affiliation and regular interactions between the BCIS and these two institutions in the field of international relations. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
