Chinese Communist Party celebrates 90th anniversary:

Sri Lanka, China; time-honoured friends - Chinese Ambassador

Suraj A Bandara

China will always support Sri Lanka to safeguard its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Yang Xiuping said.

She was addressing the 90th anniversary celebrations of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the Lakshman Kadirgamar centre yesterday. The function was organized by the Association for Sri Lanka- China Social and Cultural Cooperation in partnership with the Listeners Association of China Radio International, in Sri Lanka.

She said that the world is diversified and each country has its own history, culture and tradition. “China believes that all countries can identify their own development paths which are suited to their national conditions and respects the choices made by people of other countries.”

“Meanwhile, China maintains that countries can learn from each other in terms of development paths on the basis of mutual respect. “We should always seek common grounds while shelving differences,” Xiuping added.

The ambassador said China and Sri Lanka are time-honoured friends with close contacts dating back to centuries. The relationship between the two countries has set an example of positive and cooperative relations despite different political systems.

She was of the opinion that the recent meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum has taken the relation to new heights.

She said from 1921 to 1949, the CPC led the Chinese people in unfolding China’s new democratic revolution against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic-capitalism. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the CPC led to the creation of a new China.

“In 1979, the CPC carried out the reform and opening up policy. Since then, China’s economic and social development has been advancing rapidly, she added. In 2010, China’s GDP reached $ 6.05 trillion ranking the second largest economy in the world, the ambassador said.

‘All these achievements were accomplished under the correct leadership of the CPC,’ she pointed out.

The CPC is now leading the Chinese people towards scientific development, to push forward the reform and opening up as well as the construction of modernization, she said.

Human Resources Senior Minister and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka Dew Gunasekara said within 30 years, China became the second largest economic giant with the adoption of the policy of not being dogmatic, but pragmatic.

‘China believed in their overwhelming human resource and kept utmost faith in human labour by which many contributions have been made.

They gave priority to education and let the Chinese learn anywhere in the world,’ Senior Minister Gunasekara said.

“All members in the Cabinet are postgraduates and even a lesser uneducated man is given an opportunity in Parliament too.

‘Through educational reforms, China created educated administrators whose contributions were immence in making the new China,’ he said.

The Senior Minister further said China is a fine example for development with proper planning. China thought that the market is a feature of the capitalism whereas planning is a feature of Socialism.

‘A crisis in any country will emerge when proper planning is not available, he said. China became a giant economy with proper market planning, he said.

Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana said China was always a good friend right throughout and Chinese support was a major factor for Sri Lanka’s independence struggle.

Governor Mowlana thanked China for its unwavering support for Sri Lanka from time immemorial. China has been a true friend and has always stood by Sri Lanka.

He said China Radio International always reported the facts about Sri Lanka when other international media distorted the real picture about our country.