Lanka, China to promote trade and tourism

Chairman of China’s International Tour Management Association Zhao Xianzhang on May 29 handed over two gold-plated statues to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, symbolizing the cooperation between the two countries in promoting trade and tourism.

One of the statues is of the famous Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian who travelled from China to South Asia and toured Sri Lanka, in the 5th Century. His voyage not only enhanced relations between the two regions, but his writings following the pilgrimage also brought to light important information about early Buddhism.

The second statue is of Zheng He, often considered China’s most famous maritime explorer. He commanded the Ming dynasty’s fleet of trading vessels and commanded several major expeditions to the West during the 15th Century. Some of his ships travelled as far as the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, decades before most of the well-known European explorers made their voyages, including that of Christopher Columbus in 1492. It is reported that Zheng He travelled to Sri Lanka seven times through the famous Silk Route to promote trade between the two countries.

The gold-plated statues will be placed in the museum on Sri Lanka-China relations now being constructed in Galle, in southern Sri Lanka. It is an initiative of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Economic Development to promote trade relations between the two countries.

The event was organized by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in China Ranjith Uyangoda and took place at the Sri Lanka embassy premises. The Vice President of the International Tour Management Association along with External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Ministers Douglas Devananda, Parliamentarian A.H.M. Azwer and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga were also present.