China firmly supports the efforts of Sri Lanka's leadership for maintaining the country's national unity and stability, Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said Friday in Colombo while meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said Friday in Colombo that China firmly supports the efforts of Sri Lanka's leadership for maintaining the country's national unity and stability.

While meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Jia said that China sincerely hopes that the plague of the two decades of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka will come to an end at the earliest.

On bilateral relations, Jia said that the relations between the two countries based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence have seen a smooth development with the care of leaders of the two countries for generations since establishment of the diplomatic ties decades ago.

Jia also said that he appreciates the long-term firm support of the Sri Lankan government for the important issues of Taiwan and Tibet concerning the national interests of China and its sovereignty.

Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka attaches great importance to the development of its relations with China and the bilateral relation is currently the closest in the history.

He added that his government encourages and supports all sectors of Sri Lanka to take initiatives for the cooperation and exchanges with China in order to establish all-round relationship of cooperation and partnership between the two countries.

The Sri Lankan prime minister shared with Jia's viewpoint on the national issues, saying the political parties in the country is endeavoring toward the national reconciliation.

He also said that he believes that the parties involved will reach consensus and solve their differences through consultations.

Wickremesinghe reiterated that Sri Lankan will firmly stick to the one-China policy and continue its stance of supporting China on the important issues including that of Tibet.

After the meeting, Jia and Wickremesinghe attended the signing ceremony of framework agreement on China's provisions of loan on preferential basis for Sri Lanka and the preferential loan agreement for the improvement of rural electricity network in the country.

When meeting with Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament Joseph Michael Perera Friday morning, Jia said China and Sri Lanka are both developing countries, and they have committed to establishing a just and rational international political and economic new order and kept sound coordination and cooperation in international affairs.

Noting that Sino-Sri Lankan relationship is an example for relations between countries with different social systems, Jia said China will continue to work with Sri Lanka for mutual support and equal treatment so as to promote common development and prosperity.

He said China hopes to see social stability, economic development, and growing prosperity for the people of Sri Lanka.

China appreciates the important progress made by Sri Lanka in solving its ethnic problems and developing its economy, added Jia.

Perera mentioned the sound exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields and the continuous progress of bilateral relations.

He said China is playing an increasingly important role in international affairs, and China's achievements are admirable and worth learning.

Perera said the political parties of Sri Lanka, despite their differences, hold the same view on the development of friendship with China.

Jia arrived here on Thursday at the invitation of the Sri Lanka's Parliament Speaker Joseph Michael Perera.
 
(People's Daily   November 29, 2003)