Sri Lanka presents Buddha statue to China

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-28-2007 09:07

The Sri Lankan President has also presented China with a Buddha statue. President Rajapakse had already given a five-year-old elephant to China on Monday.

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse presented a replica of a Buddhist statue to the Chinese Buddhist community on Tuesday. 2007 is an important year for both nations as they celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties between China and Sri Lanka.

The China Buddhist Association held an enshrining ceremony for the Sri Lankan Buddha statue at Beijing's Ling Guang Temple. President Rajapakse hailed the event a boost to relations between the two countries.

Mahinda Rajapakse said, "Sri Lanka has long regarded China as a splendid civilization. Ling Guang temple is a symbol of peace, friendship and respect. The two nations will surely strengthen bilateral ties in the future."

Senior monks from both countries attended the ceremony, chanting prayers. Yi Cheng, President of the China Buddhist Association praised the interaction between the nations' Buddhist communities.