PM’s visit to China SL seeks more Chinese investments: Dinesh

By Rashida Rehmanjee   

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena who is currently in Kunming, China for the 7th China-South Asia exhibition jointly organised by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Yunnan State Government, sought more Chinese investments into the country.   

Altogether, sixty South Asian and South-east Asian countries, including members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are reported to be taking part for the event scheduled for August 20, under the theme of ‘Cooperation and Development’. 

 
With fifteen exhibition halls, the venue consists of a biomedical and healthcare pavilion, a resource economic pavilion and a regional cooperation pavilion, with a total area of one hundred and fifty thousand square metres.   

The Prime Minister said that he was honoured to attend the event as chief guest and expressed his gratitude to the Chairman of Expo for “the excellent hospitality extended to (his) delegation from Sri Lanka.” He then went on to say that he hoped the occasion will mark another milestone in (their) bilateral relations and strengthen the friendship and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka.   

The Prime Minister extended wishes to C

hinese President Xi Jinping, the Communist Party of China, and to the People of China for the tremendous leadership given to people across the World in delivering the impossible and achieving unprecedented landmarks in human civilisation. He stressed on China’s support in removing hundreds of millions of Poor People from Poverty and showing continuous economic growth.   

He also spoke on behalf of the Government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the People of Sri Lanka, where he said, “I take this opportunity to convey warm best wishes to our friends in China, this proudly speaks of achievements in the backdrop of the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative.”   
Towards the end of his speech, the Prime Minister stated that the warm friendship shared between China and Sri Lanka dating back to many centuries, pioneered by Buddhist Priest Fa Hien.