'We will stand by each other'

Speech made at the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka at the BMICH by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake.

RELATIONS: It is a great pleasure for me to participate in the celebrations to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and Sri Lanka.

Everyone, assembled here today, is only too conscious of the significance of this day, for the bilateral relations of our two countries.

Fifty years ago, the world was a very different place, particularly in the international field. Just a year earlier, in 1956 Ceylon as she was then known had ushered in a political earthquake with the resounding victory of the political front led by Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, the founding leader of the S.L.F.P.

Still earlier (in 1949) a similar earthquake of even a greater magnitude had brought the Communist Party of China to exercise responsibility in China. With the founding of the People's Republic of China bilateral relations were opened between our two countries.

By 1950 our small country extended diplomatic recognition to the new People's Republic of China, even before the establishment of full diplomatic relations and the establishment of resident Embassies in our two countries.

In 1951 the Rice-Rubber Pact was signed between China and Ceylon which provided the basis for the fair exchange of the two commodities.

Both of us were in a nascent state, struggling to establish ourselves as nation states, up against a multitude of nefarious forces - all threatening to upset us.

Ceylon was threatened with dire consequences if we were to recognise China, leave alone establish diplomatic relations. I am happy to say that we did both, notwithstanding the threats. It was a courageous step that little Ceylon undertook then. We did so, because it was the right thing to do.

We have never looked back and we have never regretted it. Our relations, from our side, as well as from the side of the Chinese authorities have steadily grown from strength to strength.

Sri Lanka's earliest contact with China dates back to 206 BC during the Han Dynasty in the reign of Emperor P'ing. In 401 AC, a Chinese monk, Fa Hsien of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, came to Sri Lanka to study Buddhist scriptures. He wrote a book titled "Accounts of Buddhist Kingdom".

In 428 AC a Sri Lankan King sent a model of the Sacred Tooth Relic shrine to the Chinese Emperor. During the Tang Dynasty 618 to 907 AC, several Chinese monks visited Sri Lanka to learn Theravada Buddhism.

Fragments of Chinese bowls and coins unearthed in Sri Lanka which were analysed in 1925 show that most of the coins belong to the Tang Dynasty.

During the Ming Dynasty 1368 to 1644 AC the island was visited twice by Admiral Cheng/Zheng Ho. An inscription regarding his visit presently lies in the National Museum. One of the greatest Emperors of the Southern Kingdom of China, Liang Wu Ti of the Liang Dynasty, was a Buddhist.

Sri Lanka has been the beneficiary of China's immense generosity beginning from the BMICH, Superior Court Complex, Central Mail room, a friendship village, hospitals, roads, bridges and the National Performing Arts Centre.

Your economic assistance has been considerable. You have continuously lent a helping hand to strengthen Sri Lanka's development efforts and you continue to do so.

It is in the Economic sphere that we witness the major thrust in our bilateral relations with China, which has been one of the most important sources of investment in Sri Lanka in diverse sectors.

A large number of Chinese Companies with the encouragement of the Chinese Government have been working in Sri Lanka on important infrastructural projects such as the coal power project in Puttalam, construction of a highway between the airport and the capital, development of the southern port of Hambantota as a modern harbour and the construction of oil storage and bunkering facilities.

Cultural Links have also been an important source of building greater understanding between our countries and closer people to people relations.

The Chinese Government will construct a National Performing Arts Theatre in Colombo which would give younger generation an opportunity to develop the Arts in a meaningful manner.

The relationship between our two countries which began many centuries ago is based on a secure foundation, the principles of Pancha Sila. The influence of Buddhism on Chinese thought, culture and civilisation, has been profound.

We are proudly celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Since that day in the distant past, the People's Republic of China has come a long way.

Today you are, your Excellency, a representative of a Veto-wielding permanent member of the security council of the United Nations.

You have opened up to the world. You have become closely involved in international affairs, practising multilateral diplomacy. You are increasingly occupying a strategic position.

You have rightly, in our opinion, taken on a role commensurate with the growing economic strength of your country. What is so heartening for us is that you are taking on a role of an advocate for developing countries.

It is a measure of the resilience of the People's Republic of China and no less a sign of the determined concentration and the pursuit of single-minded application of the entire nation to achieve economic progress, that today China is spoken of as an emerging giant in practically every field.

In commemorating this event of 50 years of diplomatic relations, let us also look towards the future possibilities of mutual co-operation.

It is not such a distant future. It is however a future, within measurable distance. The over-arching influence of an economically affluent China must necessarily cast its beneficial reflection on Sri Lanka too in the Indian Ocean.

Our aim - yours and ours, is to build a socialist and harmonious society. It is a hard and long-term task. It requires more time and effort than building a relatively well-off society. It is by continuously promoting the development of peoples' lives, political democracy and prosperity, can this be achieved.

Taking a realistic glance at the two countries, it is clear to all, that by size alone, we live in Sri Lanka which is one of the smallest countries in the world and you represent one of the largest. You, in the last 50 years, have made tremendous strides.

We in Sri Lanka have made, small steps forward. We have been saddled with a terrorist problem of quite substantial proportions, and we are grappling with it; successfully, if I may say so, more successfully now than before.

Terrorism is a terrible scourge. Humanity must stand up to it; all countries must help each other to eradicate this menace which threatens legitimate governments and innocent human beings. In our struggle against terrorism China is solidly behind us.

We are happy that the year 2007 has been declared the Year of China-Sri Lanka Friendship to coincide with this milestone in our relations, and the President is visiting China this year.

I would like to state that the President would present a replica of the Samadhi Buddha Statue to Lingguang Temple and also a baby elephant named "Migara" to commemorate this milestone in our relations.

A number of other activities have been planned in both our countries to mark this milestone in our relations which will assist to consolidate our relations further.

In the Political arena, Sri Lanka and China have consistently worked together in the international fora on many issues. Sri Lanka has remained steadfast and unequivocal in respect of its "One China Policy".

China is our friend, and Sri Lanka is China's friend. We will always stand by each other.