Building on sound foundations

The Sri Lanka-China relationship continues to go from strength to strength

Sri Lanka and China enjoy a long standing and mutually advantageous relationship which dates back over 2000 years. Their relationship boasts a grand history and a future of which we will be proud and it is a link that has stood the test of time. This year, we will celebrate the 65th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the landmark Rubber-Rice Pact.

Foreign coins and artifacts continue to be found in Sri Lanka, among them Chinese porcelain. Dozens of sunken vessels of Chinese origin are to be found in the waters around Sri Lanka, suggesting that historically, hundreds－perhaps thousands－of Chinese trading vessels visited Sri Lanka. China's historic influence on Sri Lanka, including on our architecture and martial arts, can be glimpsed in various locations. Buddhism was the key common link between the two countries. The Sri Lankan government's "Vision of Prosperity and Splendor" seeks to restore that age of prosperous mercantile relations with the world.

Shortly after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Sri Lanka was one of the first countries to recognize it in 1950 and later establish diplomatic relations in 1957.Premier Zhou Enlai visited Sri Lanka in 1957 and the then prime minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike made a historic visit to China in 1961, and other high level visits followed.

Over the past 65 years, Sri Lanka and China have nurtured cooperative and mutually beneficial exchanges in multiple fields. We have consistently supported the one-China principle and, despite our comparatively small size in the global scheme of things, were a vocal advocate of the restoration of China's lawful seat at the United Nations, which happened in October 1971. We have been supportive of each other in various multilateral forums. China has defended Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council when Sri Lanka was wrongly accused of alleged human rights violations.

Following the end of the terrorist conflict, when we desperately needed assistance to reconstruct and rebuild, it was China that came to our aid, at our behest, helping us with massive infrastructure projects. During the COVID-19 pandemic, China sent 26 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines, of which 3 million doses were gifted. It played a crucial role in the effort to contain the pandemic. Today, with over 82 percent of the population vaccinated, we are even able to reopen our airports to tourists.

China's Belt and Road Initiative will herald a new era of cooperation and shared prosperity. Its positive impact is being felt already from Africa to the Asia-Pacific region.

The Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port projects in Sri Lanka are important demonstrations of the friendly cooperation between the two countries. Today, the infrastructure is in place and we are encouraging major Chinese companies (and others) to invest in these projects and benefit from all the advantages on offer, including Sri Lanka's unique geographical position and its friendly economic and trading ties in the region and further afield. We hope to make Colombo a glittering center of commerce, education, finance and health in the Indian Ocean region. Sri Lanka, along with its welcoming economic and tax policies, also enjoys easy access to a range of countries in the region and beyond, with which we maintain excellent relations.

The government-to-government relationship between China and Sri Lanka is at an all-time high. Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited Sri Lanka in 2020. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Sri Lanka in January. This was one of his first visits abroad this year and is a demonstration of the closeness of our relationship.

China has become a major economic powerhouse of the world. Even though its economy slowed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has begun to grow rapidly again. Its technological achievements are stunning. Highways and eye-popping bridges link cities and towns in China.

Greening the cities and the country is the catchcry. China has pledged to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. A carbon trading mechanism is in place. China eliminated absolute poverty, 10 years ahead of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals targets.

There is much to be learned from China. While Sri Lanka welcomes Chinese investments, it also looks forward to accessing the Chinese market, the most lucrative consumer market in the world, to a much greater extent than at present. Sri Lankan students are encouraged to study in Chinese higher education institutes which impart valuable and marketable skill sets. Already many Chinese students are enrolled in Sri Lanka educational institutions, especially those teaching in the English medium. We hope that greater awareness of each other and people-to-people contacts will be further enhanced.

The author is Sri Lanka's ambassador to China. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn