‘Focus on Sinhala has enriched China’s ties with SL’
Following is the full text of the speech made
by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday when he was conferred an
honorary doctorate by the Beijing University of Foreign Languages
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Let me first express my thanks to the Chairman, Mr. Yang Xueyi and
the President, Mr. Chen Yulu of the Beijing Foreign Studies University
for the invitation extended to me to participate in these memorable
events of this important institute of learning.
I am deeply touched and most grateful for the honour conferred on me
today, on this historic occasion in the annals of the Beijing Foreign
Studies University. I consider this to be a significant recognition of
the long and healthy friendship between China and Sri Lanka, as well as
a symbol of the commitment between our two countries to foster better
understanding among youth, specially through the promotion of
educational exchanges.
Seventy years is a commendable record for a university that is
committed to the promotion of understanding and better relations among
countries and nations through the study of language. Language plays a
prime role as a means of communication not only within a country but
also between diverse cultures. Our literature reflects our valuable
traditions and the legacy of our development practices in the ancient
times. It is language that builds a link between our literature and
religious culture.
The temple was the centre of the educational practices in our village
society. Many of our great writers, poets and ideologists were well read
Buddhist monks, nurtured by the valued concepts of Buddhism. Likewise,
our folklore was nourished by religion. Unlike today, our ancestors
learnt languages through an oral tradition passed on from generation to
generation. Those who possessed a vast amount of knowledge and
experience were considered called the erudite.
Further, other cultural aspects such as theatre, music and other
forms of art were shaped and embellished by elements of language.
Knowledge of language is an essential requirement to understand and
deeply study the core values of a nation.
The importance that China has given to the study of foreign languages
is underlined by this university being established just twenty years
after the great Chinese Revolution that marks its 90th anniversary this
year.
It is also of much significance that today’s events mark the 50th
anniversary or Golden Jubilee of the Sinhala Language Department of this
university. My congratulations are extended to the University for its
proud record of service in education and to the Sinhala Department to
its commitment to the study and spread of the Sinhala language in China.
This university is the first in China to offer foreign language
programmes, and, I am pleased to know that it offers the most number of
foreign language programmes than any other university in China.
The Sinhala Language Department established in 1961 has been a great
source of understanding of China by the Sri Lankan people, and of Sri
Lanka by the Chinese people. It is, therefore, most fitting that this
important anniversary is also the occasion when the Sri Lanka Centre
will be established in this university. This is a further expression of
the importance that China, its academics and its policies on education,
place on the study of Sinhala, as part of its wider global reach in
understanding the cultures and traditions of other nations.
I think it would be proper to refer here to the very long links that
have existed between Sri Lanka and China. These date back to the 4th
Century when Roman historians recorded the trade links that China had
with Sri Lanka.
Buddhism also contributed to the strengthening of these links with
the two visits in the 4th and 5th centuries by Fa Hsien the Chinese
Buddhist monk, who travelled to Sri Lanka to acquire knowledge of
Buddhism and Buddhist scriptures.
These links continued for many centuries and during the Tang Dynasty
several Chinese monks visited Sri Lanka in search of Buddhist teaching.
When talking of this, we cannot ignore the significance of the Silk
Route. Sri Lanka was also linked to this Route that traversed from Qian
in China to Constantinople in Turkey. Therefore, East-West Trade was at
the zenith during that time, and the knowledge of different languages
was necessary. Coming to the more recent past the friendship between our
two countries had a great boost with the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact
in 1952. It is worth recalling that Sri Lanka signed this pact despite
much opposition from our former colonial rulers and the countries of the
West that were opposed to the People’s Republic of China. This is also
the first trade agreement that the People’s Republic of China signed
with a country outside the Socialist Bloc.
Our relations have been growing ever since and took a further step
ahead when Diplomatic Relations were established between our two
countries in 1957.
Today, there are many landmarks in my country that symbolize this
great friendship that covers many areas of development and progress.
These include the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall -
a gift of China that brought Sri Lanka to the conventions market in the
world. Our Supreme Court is housed in a building gifted by China and
very soon we will be opening the Centre for Performing Arts in Colombo,
which is an important gift from China for the development of artistic
expression in Sri Lanka.
China is also engaged in considerable work on infrastructure
development in many parts of the country, that contribute to the rapid
economic development that we seek to achieve after the successful defeat
of terrorism. I must also record here the deep gratitude of the people
of Sri Lanka to China for their commitment to support Sri Lanka in the
battle against terrorism that we concluded with success; and for the
assistance given for reconstruction and resettlement in the former
conflict zone in our country.
At this important seat of learning, I wish to state that since peace
was restored in Sri Lanka, we have given great importance to the
expansion of good education among the people in the North and East of
our country. Rehabilitated cadres of the terrorists are now attending
schools and some have entered universities, too. We have provided them
with the opportunity to follow different language courses, too.
China holds a dominant position in international trade today. The
development of China has contributed to many countries including Sri
Lanka, moving towards development through economic policies. When
considering the relationship between economic development and social
equality, it is clear that the former should be achieved by seeking
better understanding between the cultures and traditions of the people
of a country and their future expectations. I believe we can learn much
from China in this regard.
I am glad to know of the presence here of the first Sinhala language
student of China in the modern period - Mr. Zheng Yuzhong. I understand
that he worked in the Chinese Embassy in Colombo from 1959 to 1972, and
was the interpreter to Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai during his
first visit to Sri Lanka in 1964, with his deep knowledge of the Sinhala
language.
Mr. Zheng was the first Sinhala language lecturer and Associate
Professor of Sinhala at this great university. I wish Mr. Zheng Yuzhong
good health and many more years service in the cause of good relations
through the study of language. The very existence of the Sinhala
Language Department in this university is an important sign of China’s
interest in fostering and strengthening friendship between our two
countries. I note with great satisfaction that more than 100 Chinese
students have mastered the Sinhala language in this Department.
The study of a language brings a natural interest among students in
the country from which that language comes and of its people.
Having met many a Chinese Diplomat in Sri Lanka, I have been greatly
impressed by their knowledge of Sinhala and see in this the success of
this Department. I believe the Sri Lanka Centre will also contribute to
this deeper understanding of Sri Lanka among the Chinese people.
I must also mention here the important contribution to understanding
made by the Chinese International Broadcasting Service, which also
celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. The Sinhala language service
of this station has also done much to build good understanding between
Sri Lanka and China.
I trust it has also benefited from the Sinhala Language Department of
this university.
It is necessary to mention here the student and teacher exchange
programmes between China and Sri Lanka that are in operation today. This
university has two agreements with the University of Kelaniya and the
University of Colombo for productive student - teacher exchange.
I believe we could develop these programmes further with more
openings in Sri Lankan universities for Chinese students to further
their studies, not only in Sinhala but in other disciplines, too. I
trust there could be a mutual exchange of such opportunities between our
two countries.
In conclusion let me once again extend my thanks to this university,
as well as to the government and to the people of China for the
continued support extended to Sri Lanka.
I look forward to the friendship between our two countries growing
stronger in the years to come.
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