The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China, Palitha Kohona said that Sri Lanka has been inspired by China’s achievements, and have to find its own strengths and work on them to become a country like China in the future.
In an interview to Global Times, the Ambassador said that Sri Lanka currently is facing a myriad of challenges, and has many lessons to learn from China.
Ambassador Kohona also pointed out that within the last decade, China has developed rapidly and has become the biggest source of foreign direct investment and the second biggest economy in the world, during which time, Sri Lanka’s bilateral relations with China have expanded substantially and have prospered.
“Today, we hope that we can use these bonds to advance Sri Lanka’s development,” he said.
According to the Ambassador, official and civil interaction between Sri Lanka and China over the last decade has covered a range of activities and projects in both countries, and both populations entertain a positive impression of each other.
Ambassador Kohona, while mentioning that China has been a strong advocate of globalization, said that Sri Lanka has benefited from and firmly supports globalization, as globalized connectivity allows countries’ exports to reach more lucrative markets easier.
“What China has done under the dedicated leadership for the Communist Party of China (CPC) is remarkable. It’s unique. No other country has achieved the goal of eradicating extreme poverty at any time in history, while China has done this impressively,” he mentioned.
Kohona added that Sri Lanka also wants to eliminate extreme poverty, creating a better life, and ensuring a better living standard for its people.
(Source: Global Times)