By Rathindra Kuruwita

Sri Lanka should turn to Asian countries with some of the biggest dollar reserves in the world to promote its exports, Chairman of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL), DEW Gunasekera said yesterday addressing a seminar on human rights and democracy in China.

“Seven out of the 10 countries that have the biggest dollar reserves are Asian. China alone has a 500 million strong middle class. We have not tapped these Asian markets,” he said.

The CP stalwart said that the Chinese-funded Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was the biggest investment drive in Asian history and that Sri Lanka should try to make the best out of the project.

Gunasekera also said that the conflict in Ukraine had changed the world order.

“Russia and Ukraine are the world’s bread basket. After this conflict, this bread basket will turn towards Asia because of the US sanctions. Once that happens, Asia will be the real centre of the world,” he said.

The CP Chairman added that it was unreasonable to judge Asian countries with the yardsticks used by the Western World.

“China has eradicated abject poverty. This is the first time such a thing has happened in human history. Isn’t this the biggest right of all? To live a dignified life? Socialist democracy is the engine of China’s growth,” he said.

Prof. Samitha Hettige told the gathering that most people who accused China of human rights violations were doing so with an ulterior motive. In places like Tibet and Xinjiang the living standards of the people had improved significantly, he added.

“The West has always tried to undermine China and Russia by creating trouble at the periphery. Certain powerful groups empowered terrorists in Xinjiang. China has eliminated the terror groups and those areas are now prospering. The western media is now trying to undermine these achievements by making unsubstantiated human rights allegations,” Prof. Hettige said.