Sri Lankan calls for greater learning from China's progress

Editor's note: China Daily presents the series Friends Afar to tell the stories of people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries. Through the vivid narration of the people in the stories, readers can get a better understanding of a country that is boosting openness.

China is a country from which the whole world can learn regarding socioeconomic development and initiatives aimed at improving people's lives, says Indrananda Abeysekera, a Sri Lankan committed to fostering friendship with China.

"I have never heard of a country as pro-people as China in terms of social and economic development, and I have seen with my own eyes how China has met the demands of its people in 75 years and achieved the goals it had set," said Abeysekera, founder and chairman of the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation, who views China as his second motherland.

As a developing country, Sri Lanka has much to learn from China's experience in pursuing rapid progress, he said. "We need to learn how China has eradicated poverty."

Over the past several decades, Abeysekera has been engaged in promoting people-to-people friendship and cultural exchanges between Sri Lanka and China. He has won important awards, including China's Friendship Award and the title of Friendship Ambassador from the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Abeysekera said China always supports other countries in developing their economies while also valuing the assistance it receives from foreign countries for its own development.

He noted that during the speech marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, President Xi Jinping expressed heartfelt gratitude to friendly countries and international friends who care about and support the development of New China.

"This is a good example to show China's intention of learning from each other," Abeysekera said.

As Sri Lanka grapples with severe economic challenges, he believes the country should carefully study China's development experiences and draw lessons from its success.

This approach "is better than wasting time in running behind International Monetary Fund loans", he said.

The friendship ambassador recalled that his father, a renowned journalist, broadcaster, novelist and songwriter in Sri Lanka, first visited China in 1984. Upon returning, he shared his experiences with his family, leaving them impressed.

Abeysekera's father predicted that China would one day become one of the most developed countries. He also encouraged his children to visit China, believing they could learn a great deal from its advancements. He reminded them that, as China is a true friend of Sri Lanka, "we should do our best ... to strengthen the ties between us".

Three years later, his father formed an association of listeners of the Sinhala service of Radio Beijing in Sri Lanka, helping introduce China to communities in the island nation.

Abeysekera's first trip to China came in 1987, nearly 10 years after the country began its reform and opening-up. "Until then, I had only heard about China's reform," he said.

In 1990, he again went to China, where he worked at China Radio International for six years, during which he witnessed China's socioeconomic transformation under its five-year plans. "After moving to China, I saw the developments, and I saw how Shenzhen turned from a tiny village into a modern city that gives life to a great economy."

Abeysekera said he visited Chinese provinces and autonomous regions nearly every year.

"China has always been friendly to us under any circumstances. Sri Lanka and China have been close to each other since time immemorial," he said, adding the friendship between the two countries and peoples has set an example of solidarity for the world.

Smooth development

China-Sri Lanka relations have developed smoothly since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1957, and the two countries have consistently advocated the spirit of the 1952 Rubber-Rice Pact, Abeysekera said.

"Both countries firmly and honestly supported each other on issues of core interests and main concerns," he said. "The two countries have strengthened communication and cooperation on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and they continue to deepen people-to-people friendship."

While in Beijing during the 1990s, Abeysekera realized he should commit to advancing people-to-people friendship between Sri Lanka and China. Recognizing the need for an organization to foster such ties, he founded the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation in 1997.

The association organized numerous friendship programs, workshops and seminars in both Sri Lanka and China. "Each time we were able to strengthen the friendship," Abeysekera said. "In particular, I and (the association) have had many opportunities to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries."

In China, the association organized the Sri Lanka Cultural Weeks in Beijing, Chengdu and Ya'an, supported by regional friendship associations, and participated in cultural festivals such as the China-South Asian Cultural Forum.

Abeysekera also helped organize exhibitions on Chinese culture in Sri Lanka, most recently the closing ceremony of "Chinese Culture Meets Students in Sri Lanka", hosted by the Chinese embassy on Nov 7.

In 2010, Abeysekera founded the Organization for South Asian Regional Friendship and Cooperation with China in Sri Lanka, an NGO that seeks to foster China-South Asia friendship.

"Through this, we have been able to conduct a number of cultural, social, academic and economic programs between South Asia and China. We have participated in related programs in China, Nepal, Bangladesh, India and the Maldives," he said.

Despite differing social systems, he said the cultural ties between Sri Lanka and China have always been strong. The friendship associations and friendship cities are highly important for promoting people-to-people connections, he added.

He said the organizations he is involved in "have the responsibility to seek more areas to promote people-to-people friendship between the two countries and support state-to-state relations".

As to the future, Abeysekera said it is essential to pay more attention to finding different ways to strengthen mutual understanding between the people of Sri Lanka and China.

"We need to explore more paths to strengthen friendship city activities, bring youth to people-to-people friendship events, and establish different friendship circles with professionals."

vivienxu@chinadailyapac.com