Backgrounder: 50 year of Sino-Sri Lankan ties

Source: CCTV.com | 02-27-2007 09:02

The streets of Colombo proclaim "China is our true friend forever."

In 1952, the two countries signed the Rubber-Rice Pact, in which China sold rice to Sri Lanka in exchange for rubber. It was China's first trade agreement with a non-Communist country.

In 1957, the two countries established embassies in each other's capitals.

That same year, Premier Zhou Enlai visited Sri Lanka, and again in 1964.

Mahinda Rajapakasa, Sri Lankan President, said, " In both countries, the Buddhist influence has dominated their cultural and social fabric of the society which is clearly visible even today. This has laid a solid foundation for the Sri Lanka-China relations in the cultural, historical, social and economic arenas. "

China helped build a number of projects in Colombo, such as the High Court and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall.

The hall, built in the 1970s, is regarded as a symbol of Sino-Sri Lankan friendship.

Dr Hao Weimin, senior lecturer Sabaragamuwa Uni. of Sri Lanka, said, "For the past fifty years, China gave a lot of assistance to Sri Lanka. The assistance promoted the development of Sri Lankas' infrastructure construction. Frequent political exchanges of the two nations brought the relationship into an all round way including politics, economy, tourism and education."

In December 2004, a massive tsunami struck Sri Lanka, killing over 30,000 people.

China was among the first countries to respond with assistance, helping to rebuild the Sri Lanka Fishery Harbors.

In April 2005, in Colombo, Wen Jiabao and Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga witnessed the signing of an Agreement for the Further Strengthening of Economic Relations.

In August that year, Kumaratunga paid a state visit to China. The two nations signed cooperation agreements on trade, tourism, culture and education.

In the political sector, Sri Lanka supports the one-China principle. While China has supported Sri Lanka in its efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and development.

Editor:Du Xiaodan