President Rajapaksa at ICAPP:

Solutions to environmental problems must be equitable

Solutions to imminent environment problems must be equitable, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said addressing the opening ceremony of the 2013 International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) Special Conference at the State Guest House of Shaanxi Province yesterday.

"It is important to remember that the present situation is one which has been brought about by excessive consumption on the part of the industrialised nations and that developing countries played no part in aggravating this situation," President Rajapaksa said.

"It is therefore, palpably unjust to try to impose a solution which involves significant controls and restrictions that prevent the developing world from producing and using energy for legitimate needs," he said.

His message focused on Asian countries achieving sustained economic development while working to preserve the environment, quoting Arahat Mahinda when he reminded King Devanampiyatissa that leaders are not owners but only trustees of the environment. President Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka's economic programs have always put at the forefront the objective of "arriving at the right balance between industrial progress and preservation of the environment."

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao echoed those same sentiments in his keynote address.

While Asia has been the home to three of the world's four great civilizations, Vice President Yuanchao said that during the industrial age, Asia suffered from foreign aggression, colonial rule and civil conflicts. However, now, Asia is emerging as a leading continent in all sectors.

"In this endeavor, as a member of the Asian family, China shares a common destiny with the rest of Asia," the Chinese Vice President said.

Pointing out that many Asian countries are now starting to resolve their crises and are on a path to accelerate development, Vice President Yuanchao particularly highlighted the Mahinda Chinthana policy for Sri Lanka.

"In the Mahinda Vision for the Future, the inspiring blueprint for Sri Lanka designed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, plans have been outlined to transform Sri Lanka into a hub for sea transport, aviation, business, energy and knowledge," Vice President Yuanchao said.

Prior to addressing the conference, President Rajapaksa also met with several heads of delegations attending the conference. At the discussion, the President said realizing the goals of Asian nations requires national policies which are supplemented by regional cooperation.

The ICAPP Special Conference was organized jointly by the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the local government of Shaanxi Province under the theme 'Promote Green Development and Build a Beautiful Asia Together.'

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris, External Affairs Ministry Monitoring MP Sajin de Vaas Gunawardena, Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Douglas Devananda, Parliamentarians A H M Azwer and Namal Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Chief-of-Staff Gamini Senerath and Sri Lanka's Ambassador to China Ranjith Uyangoda were also present.

The full text of President Rajapaksa's speech:

"I am indeed honoured to be part of this magnificent event. Let me therefore thank the government of the People's Republic of China and the Municipal Government of Beijing for inviting me to attend the China International Fair for Trade in Services. "As China and the rest of Asia are marching forward to achieve our true economic potential, it is most opportune to explore ways and means to further enhance cooperation As Asian countries transform to become service driven economies, it is important that we work towards creating greater synergies.

"Trade with China is not just an economic necessity or merely a matter of good business It is a historical force that has driven many individuals and nations throughout the ages China was at the heart of ancient trade routes for many centuries Countless nations from near and far came in search of Chinese goods, technologies, philosophies and leanings that were considered invaluable in the ancient civilised world.

"It is not surprising therefore, that for 1,800 years of the last 2,000 housand years,China had been the largest economy and the biggest trading nation in the world It is only in the 19th century that this balance was altered In this context, the peaceful economic rise of China during the last three decades is a matter of great pride and satisfaction for all of us in the region.

"Globalisation has integrated the economies of many countries into a closely knit fabric Today, many of the world's leading brands are produced as a result of complex and integrated processes that transcend many geographical boundaries This trend is now clearly visible in the services sectors as well. The China International Fair for Trade in Services has fulfilled a great need in offering a comprehensive trading platform that covers 12 sectors of trade in services defined by the World Trade Organization.

"My country, Sri Lanka having identified the enormous potential of our geographical location and competitive human resources has embraced these new developments Our country is situated at the centre of the Indian Ocean on the main East-West maritime lane The Indian Ocean is the world's third largest ocean and it carries half of the world's container cargo, one third of bulk cargo and two thirds of the world's oil shipments This strategic geographical location along with our liberal economic policies, political stability and highly educated and skilled labour force makes Sri Lanka an ideal location to be a hub to the South Asian region and a vital economic centre in Asia.

"My government is currently implementing a strategic plan contained in our policy paradigm, Mahinda Chinthana, to harness these advantages and transform Sri Lanka into a competitive hub The policy is to develop five strategic areas; a knowledge hub, a commercial hub, a naval and maritime hub, an aviation hub, and an energy hub Services sectors are at the fore-front of this strategy as we envision becoming a leading services provider in the region.

"These economic development initiatives are also closely linked to the reconciliation process undertaken by my Government Many leaders across the world acknowledge that economic disparities are a source for internal conflicts Aware of this fact, we in Sri Lanka are working hard to ensure that all the citizens of our country get equal economic opportunities In this regard, we are greatly impressed by China's policies towards making all her citizens stakeholders in its economic development.

"As we are gathered in Beijing, we are once again reminded of the centrality of this great nation to the international order and in particular, to the world economy In the 21st century, often called the Asian century, China is poised to lead the economic growth of the region and the globe The opportunities created at this Fair will no doubt contribute to further strengthen economic links and help to ensure steady growth."