China reiterates commitment to Lanka's sovereignty

Will not allow any Chinese entity to deal with LTTE :

Ranil Wijayapala in Beijing

CHINA: The Chinese Government will not tolerate any form of terrorism and will not allow any Chinese entity to deal with the LTTE, the Sri Lankan Government delegation in China led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa was assured yesterday.

The Chinese Government has expressed its support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka also reaffirmed its commitment to the One China Policy. The Chinese Government will speed up the implementation of the Hambantota port project and energy development projects. It will also be closely involved in oil exploration off the Sri Lankan coast. Chinese investments in Sri Lanka will be expanded. The Chinese Government has appreciated Sri Lanka for its gesture of granting an oil exploration block to China.

China will also grant 104 scholarships to Sri Lankan students. It will also help establish a Confucius Centre in Sri Lanka.

The promotion of tourism between the two countries is also being taken up. China has also thanked the Lankan Government for donating corneas and a baby elephant.

President Rajapaksa yesterday expressed the need for reviving the historic relationship the two countries had in the sphere of Buddhist relations by renewing the Buddhist exchange programmes between the two countries. President Rajapaksa made this observation after presenting a Buddha statue to the most venerated Buddhist temple, Lingguan Temple, in Beijing yesterday morning.

The stone Buddha statue similar to the Samadhi Buddha statue was unveiled yesterday at the Lingguan Temple where one of the sacred tooth relics of Buddha escorted from India has been placed for Buddhists to pay homage.

The President also urged the Chinese people to visit Sri Lanka's Buddhist places of worship.

President Rajapaksa and the Ministerial delegation completed a fruitful and successful bilateral talks yesterday with the Chinese Government headed by Chinese President Hu Jintao here in Beijing after inking two agreements and six MoUs with the Chinese Government and several Chinese authorities covering many sectors.

The Chinese Government accorded an official state welcome to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his delegation yesterday at the Great Hall in Beijing after according a Tri Services Guard of Honour.

The two leaders and the Cabinet Ministers of the two countries had a two-hour discussion immediately after the Tri Service guard of honour to the visiting President.

Chinese President Hu Jintao gave a warm welcome to the Sri Lankan delegation and expressed his happiness over President Rajapaksa's visit to China when the two countries are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

President Rajapaksa, in his speech delivered during bilateral talks explained the current developments in Sri Lanka covering political developments, peace process, tourism, aviation sector, commerce, oil exploration, trade and financial assistance extended by the Chinese Government.

The President also expressed his happiness over the Chinese Government accepting the invitation extended by the Sri Lankan Government to act as an observer of the Human Rights situation in Sri Lanka. He also said the Chinese Government will understand the situation in Sri Lanka rightly differentiating between political terrorism and the extremism.

He also extended an invitation to President Jintao to the visit Sri Lanka during this year in which the two countries are celebrating China -Sri Lanka Friendship Year. The Cabinet Ministers and officials of the two countries inked two agreements and six MoUs in the presense of the two leaders at Great Hall of China.

Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation, Agreement on Cooperation between Film Industries of two countries were signed during these bilateral talks.

The six MoUs signed between the two countries were MoU on Urban Development, MoU on Friendship between Hambantota District and Guangzhou City, MoU on Two way Investment Promotion, MoU for Donation of Eye Corneas, MoU on Agriculture and Agriculture Mechanisation and MoU for Student Exchange between Kelaniya University and Beijing Foreign Studies University.