Further strengthening Sino-Lanka bilateral ties
Harsha Udayakantha PEIRIS
COLOMBO: Economic cooperation between China and Sri Lanka would be
further deepened in the fundamental interests of both peoples. “China
has been supporting Sri Lanka’s endeavour to safeguard its state
sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity,” Ambassador of
the People’s Republic of China Ye Dabo said.
The Ambassador was speaking at a special ceremony to commemorate 50
years of Diplomatic Relations between China and Sri Lanka and 58th
National Day of China at the BMICH, Colombo on September 27.
“We are thankful to Sri Lanka’s unwavering support of China’s
candidature to run for the seats in several regional and international
organisations.
Most importantly, the Chinese Government highly appreciates that Sri
Lanka has remained steadfast and unequivocal in supporting the one -
China policy and opposing the so-called “Taiwan Independence
secessionist activities,” the Ambassador said.
Dabo said the recently commenced Puttalam Coal Power Plant funded by
the Chinese Government will be the biggest coal power project in Sri
Lanka, once completed.
The renovation of the BMICH will soon be started under patronage of
the Chinese Government and the bidding process of the National
Performing Arts Theatre by the Chinese Government has also begun. The
Chinese Government has decided on financial support for the Hambantota
Port Project, the Ambassador said.
Dabo said to relieve the shortage of passenger carriages in Sri
Lanka, China has also agreed to produce 100 advanced railway
compartments and 25 arrived at the Colombo Port earlier this month.
The remaining compartments will be freighted to Sri Lanka by the end
of this year. Further to these activities, a large number of Chinese
companies, encouraged by the Chinese Government have been actively
engaging in Sri Lanka on many a infrastructure project, he said.
During recent times, the number of scholarships provided by the
Chinese Government to Sri Lankan students has also significantly
increased. This year alone altogether 100 students have got the
opportunity to study in China.
The Chinese Government has arranged a series of training programmes
for Sri Lankan government officials, scholars, journalists and
entrepreneurs as well, Dabo said.
Thanks to efforts of both sides, the first Confucius Institute was
inaugurated in May this year at the University of Kelaniya. The film
Good Night Colombo, a love story between a Chinese girl and a Sri Lankan
boy, shot by Beijing film academy of China will also be on show soon,
the Ambassador said.
Many cultural and Buddhist delegations from China also visited Sri
Lanka during recent times. In July this year, Vice President of Buddhist
Association of China and his delegation attended the opening ceremony of
Sri Lanka’s Buddhist television channel.
In August, a 100 member Buddhist delegation from China visited Kandy.
Currently, a delegation of 22 Chinese students studying Sinhala at the
Beijing Foreign Studies University is visiting Sri Lanka.
In 2006, Sri Lanka received more than 16,000 Chinese tourists and
more are expected once the Sri Lankan Consulate General office in
Shanghai opens later this year, Dabo said
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