Traditional partners witness growing bilateral relations
Colombo, commercial capital of Sri Lanka, is a busy international business hub. |
During the visit, a number of agreements in various fields such as trade, investment, tourism, education and culture are expected to be signed, with great rejoicing on both sides.
This year, designated as the "China-Sri Lanka Friendship Year," marks the golden jubilee of China-Sri Lanka relations.
Celebratory events are to take place in both countries, and expected to boost the already well-developed bilateral ties.
The year of 2007 is bound to have an enormous impact on future China-Sri Lanka relations for the promotion of economic cooperation and development, strengthened peace and stability, friendly ties and people-to-people relations, said a source with the Sri Lankan embassy in China.
As traditional partners, the two countries can trace their friendship to half a century ago.
In January 1950, just three months after the People's Republic of China was founded, Sri Lanka extended diplomatic recognition to New China.
In April 1952, the two countries entered into the historic Rubber-Rice Pact. According to the agreement, Sri Lanka supplied rubber to China under a barter arrangement, receiving rice from China in return.
This agreement was of great importance, especially at a time when some countries had imposed a ban on the supply of strategic materials, including rubber, to China.
With the establishment of resident embassies in each other's capitals, China and Sri Lanka entered into full diplomatic relations in February 1957.
Consequent to the establishment of diplomatic relations, both countries took a series of measures in political, economic, trade and cultural fields to strengthen relations.
While China continues to support Sri Lanka's efforts to reach a political solution to ethnic problems, Sri Lanka expressed unwavering support for a "One China" policy.
China's support in protecting the stability and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka against the three evils of terrorism, extremism and separatism has been consistent and unwavering.
The two sides are currently pursuing negotiations for the further promotion of defense cooperation.
In this regard, the defense authorities of the two sides, following their discussions in Beijing recently, envisaged the Exchange of Letters on Defense Cooperation for mutual benefit.
Sri Lanka's security forces continue to receive training in Chinese defense academies in areas such as intelligence gathering and sharing, advanced combat training, and use of high-tech and state-of-the-art hardware, which have been of tremendous help in advancing defense needs and other requirements in the face of terrorism.
In the aftermath of the tsunami catastrophe that devastated Sri Lanka's coastal belt, the Chinese Government and its people provided massive relief efforts and economic assistance.
Individual donations from the Chinese people were the largest received from any source for tsunami relief, according to the embassy of Sri Lanka in China.
In April 2005, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao led a high-level delegation to Sri Lanka and toured the affected areas.
Premier Wen announced grants, debt relief and Chinese technical and other assistance for the reconstruction of seven harbors affected by the tsunami as well as housing reconstruction.
During his visit, Sri Lanka and China signed six agreements, including:
Agreement on the Further Development of Bilateral, Economic and Trade Relations,
Protocol on Remitting Partial Debt of the Government of Sri Lanka,
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Agriculture Cooperation,
MOU for Development of Hambantota Bunkering System and Tank Farm Project.
Premier Wen Jiabao's visit was quite significant in terms of consolidating China's support for Sri Lanka's tsunami-affected areas, as well as strengthening cooperation in a range of areas such as trade promotion, economic and technical cooperation, and agriculture and infrastructure development.
Economic ties
Trade relations between the two countries were formalized by the signing of a general trade agreement and a trade and payment agreement in 1952.
The most visible symbol of Chinese assistance remains the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), a main international conference center and a non-reimbursable development project sponsored by Chinese government, seen as an enduring monument to Sri Lanka-China relations.
China has also funded several development projects, including the Supreme Courts complex, the Central Mail Exchange, the Ging Ganga Flood Protection Scheme and the re-development of the Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital.
Two trade promotional committees were set up in the 1980s, seeking to help business communities in both countries strengthen exchanges.
The two joint committees were amalgamated into the Sri Lanka-China Joint Commission for Economic and Trade Cooperation in 1991.
Promoted by the joint commission, a memorandum of understanding was concluded in 1996, which identified a significantly large number of areas for joint ventures, foreign direct investment, as well as bilateral collaboration in public and private sectors of both countries.
The two countries initiated a double taxation agreement last year, which gave further impetus for both sides to accelerate their economic cooperation for mutual benefit.
Being an important destination for outbound tourists, China is also seen as a key target for overseas tourism industries.
Sri Lanka took early initiatives to secure "Accreditation Destination Status" (ADS) in 2002, which opened a new vista of opportunities for the promotion of Chinese tourists to the island country.
Sri Lankan Airlines, taking advantage of the ADS status granted to Sri Lanka, launched its own campaign to resume direct flights between China and Sri Lanka.
The airline company opened its branch office in Beijing in September 2004 and provided direct flight services twice a week beginning in June 2005.
Since then, thanks to the support and assistance of the Chinese government and the China National Tourism Administration, Sri Lanka has recorded a sharp growth of Chinese tourists to the country.
Coupled with the ADS status, Sri Lanka's tourism authorities launched a promotional drive targeting major cities in China, which also helped create awareness among Chinese tourists about Sri Lanka.
Cultural exchanges
Sri Lanka signed a cultural cooperation agreement with China in August 1979.
China has offered Sri Lanka a significant number of scholarships at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in medicine, engineering and the humanities, while Chinese scholars and students have followed courses in Sri Lanka in agriculture and Buddhist culture.
The year of 2006 had been of special significance to both countries, as it coincided with the 2550th Anniversary of the Parinirvana of the Gauthama Buddha (Buddha Jayanthi).
The Buddha Jayanthi was commemorated by the two countries in their capitals.
In China, the World Buddhist Forum was held in Hangzhou, for which Minister of Religious Affairs Tissa Karalliyadda led a high-level Buddhist delegation.
The delegation contributed to the renaissance and revitalization of China-Sri Lanka Buddhist relations, which resulted in high-level exchanges between the two countries.
(China Daily 02/27/2007 page20)
