Promote Sri Lanka in China, PM tells envoy

J M Hafees, Akurana group corr

Prime Minister D M Jayaratne requested Chinese ambassador Wu Jiangho to promote Sri Lanka in China to attract more tourists to the island.

The Prime Minister said a programme at diplomatic level should be designed to popularise Sri Lankan tea in China and the prices of Sri Lankan tea should be made more attractive for them to purchase tea at a reasonable rate. Prime Minister Jayaratne expressed these views when ambassador Wu Jiangho called on him at Visumpaya on Thursday.

Jiangho said China as a developing country, adopted a sustainable economic policy which was not influenced by the West, to launch development projects. He said China achieved rapid economic development and as a result, remains a powerful nation.

The ambassador expressed China's support to Sri Lanka in its endeavour to boost the economy and to enhance the standard of living of the people in Sri Lanka.

"Representatives of state and private companies of China arrived in Sri Lanka to invest. They also took steps to enhance tourism, highways, electricity and the environmental situation. The relationship between China and Sri Lanka turned a new page in the history of the two countries. While Sri Lankans are dedicated to improve their lives in terms of the Buddhist culture, the Chinese too appreciate the influence of Buddhism," the ambassador said.

Sri Lankan authorities have taken several measures to attract more Chinese tourists to Sri Lanka, he said.

The ambassador said many Chinese tourists collect details about Sri Lanka required for their tours through the internet and the Chinese have realised that Sri Lanka is a paradise for tourists.

"Sri Lanka cooperates with China in the fields of culture, military and economics," Jiangho said.

He pledged China's support to mitigate international pressures against Sri Lanka from Western countries.