Premier Rajapaksa explains why China is such a good friend

China had never sought to impose its own political views on the world, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Tuesday (6) addressing a virtual conference conducted to mark the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

China has also never felt the need to manipulate the affairs of other countries and it had always helped the other countries, treating them as equals, Rajapaksa said.

“This is especially important for a country’s independence as well as its sovereignty. Therefore, countries never hesitated to deal with China, because they are allowed to maintain their independence. It is the same for Sri Lanka. That is why most doors of the world were opened to China. This policy is very important for the progress of China, internationally. It has now become clear that China will lead the rise of Asia in the century ahead,” he said.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa said that no one in the Global South was interested in dividing the world into two camps and that China had done a historic service to relieve the suffering of Asian and African countries.

“It was China that helped the world, which was facing difficulties due to the division of the world into two camps. At that time, Zhou Enlai brought the idea of non-aligned nations to the world, for world relief. That non-aligned policy is still a relief to the world today,” he said.

The Premier also said that the Belt and Road Initiative was not something alien to Sri Lanka, which was a part of the ancient Silk Road connecting China with Europe.

Given below are excerpts of the speech: “I wish to express my warmest felicitations together with the people of my country on the occasion of the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party of China.

“The honour of this historical relationship China has had with us is also included in this felicitation.

China has been a historical friend. And, based on our long-standing cooperation, we must acknowledge that China is one of our most sincere friends.

“To celebrate both the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China as well as the

long-standing diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka, we have taken steps to issue a

commemorative coin. It has now been 72 years since the CPC converted China into a Red China.

“Sri Lanka established Diplomatic Relations with the Chinese Government back in 1957. However, the leftist parties of our country have had relations with the CPC even before that. The Communist Party of Sri Lanka, in particular, has had relations with the Communist Party of China since the 1940s. I am pleased to say that we have been able to maintain good relations with the CPC because Sri Lankans also value equality and brotherhood.

“The Communist Party of China is currently the world’s largest political party, which has delivered a very important message to the world on foreign relations for the past 70 years. I am aware that it was the foreign policy positions of the CPC that elevated China on the global stage. However, China has never tried to impose its own political views on the world.

“China has also never felt the need to manipulate the affairs of other countries. China has helped

the other countries, keeping them at the same level, which is a very important matter for a country’s independence as well as its sovereignty. Therefore, countries never hesitated to deal with China, because they were allowed to maintain their independence. It is the same for Sri Lanka. That is why most doors of the world were opened to China. This policy is very important for the progress of China, internationally. It has now become clear that China will lead the rise of

Asia in the century ahead.

“The open economy has spread throughout the world, changing the very structure of many countries. “However, China accepted the open economy in a way that was suitable to China. Therefore, China did not accept the open economy as something that divides the country into classes and weakens the country. Instead, China has successfully eradicated poverty of 900 million people under its open economic policy and set a great example to the world by the way it adopted the open economy. I am confident that, China will bring back the economic strength that Asia had five hundred years ago through this Silk Road.

“China always believed that improving infrastructure will provide new ways and new strengths for the people. Therefore, we have constantly invited China to help develop the infrastructure of our country. China has also pledged to become a carbon neutral country by 2060. Therefore, countries on the Silk Road, which make use of the investments from China, will also have to work with a similar objective, not only to make countries carbon neutral but also for countries around the Indian Ocean to be free of pollution.

“I must also express my gratitude to China for the development and generous donations of the Sinopharm vaccine. The CPC set an example to the world by producing the vaccine and sharing it with the world. The motto of the World Health Organisation in the face of this epidemic was that everyone should be vaccinated, whether rich or poor. In this context, it is further admirable that China has given approval for the production of the Sinopharm vaccine in countries like ours. During a global pandemic such as this, decisions initiated by the CPC will be respected as those taken for the benefit of humanity.”