Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit some areas in Sri Lanka hit by last December's tsunami, during his tour of the country in early April, said Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Nihal Rodrigo.

In an interview with Xinhua, Rodrigo said China was one of the first countries to offer assistance after the disaster.

"The Chinese doctors and stuff are still there and the help is still going on," said Rodrigo.

Wen will pay an official visit to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India from April 5 to 12. This will be his first visit to the four South Asian nations since he was elected Chinese Premier in March 2003.

During his one-day visit to Sri Lanka, said Rodrigo, Premier Wen will hold talks with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse to exchange views on promoting bilateral high-level visits.

"Hopefully a number of agreements will be signed, one on expansion of economic relations, and possibly a cultural agreement," said the ambassador.

"What we really expect is the complete consolidation of the existing relationship, strengthening areas like the fishery industry and seeking other means to develop economic relationship, for example tourism. Last year, a 25 percent increase of Chinese tourists went to Sri Lanka and I think this year that increase will be further," said Rodrigo.

In 2001, the then Chinese Premier, Zhu Rongji, paid an official visit to Sri Lanka. Last year, eight ministers of Sri Lanka visited China. "Each of them has one aspect of Sri Lanka-China relations," said Rodrigo, noting that bilateral relationship is a very old one with very strong foundation and has been growing rapidly in recent years.

Rodrigo recalled the history of bilateral exchanges and spoke about the Chinese ancient navigator, Zheng He, who traveled to southeast Asia, west Asia and east Africa between 1405 and 1433.

"Zheng's fleets toured to Sri Lanka for several times, bringing the Chinese culture of that time and also taking the Sri Lanka perfume back to China," said Rodrigo.

He also recalled the "Rice and Rubber Pact," which was signed five decades ago by China and Sri Lanka after breaking through the western countries' economic blockade of China, as a testament to the friendly ties between the two countries.

"Sri Lankan people have had a very favorable impression on Chinese people. China is not a threat but an opportunity. Although the Chinese economy at the moment has its weakness, it's still providing a catalyst or a spur to Asian renaissance," said Rodrigo.
 
(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2005)