English.news.cn
2012-10-23 05:41:51
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COLOMBO, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will continue
to engage with China in key development sectors, particularly tourism, Deputy
Speaker Chandima Weerakkody told a delegation of Chinese officials here on
Monday.
Weerakkody made the remarks at a meeting with the
delegation led by Zhao Qizheng, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of
the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political
advisory body.
During the meeting at the Sri Lankan parliament, the
two sides reiterated their readiness to continue cooperation and outlined
upcoming exchanges.
Zhao invited Weerakkody to visit China's Shanghai with
a delegation of engineers to study the development of the booming Chinese
metropolis for the growth of the southern Sri Lankan city of Galle.
Zhao also called on Sri Lankan authorities to increase
awareness of the island country's tourist attractions by undertaking more publicity
campaigns in China, noting that nearly a million tourists will visit Maldives
this year but Sri Lanka, despite its closeness to the Maldives, still attracts
less Chinese visitors.
"Sri Lanka also needs to let the Chinese people
know the end of its civil war, the current peaceful atmosphere and the rapid
development taking place here in Sri Lanka," said Zhao, calling for
actions to train more Chinese speaking guides so that tourists from China will
"find it easier to travel to Sri Lanka."
MP Thilanga Sumathipala agreed that more steps need to
be taken to increase the usage of Chinese among tourism professionals, saying
that a long-term plan must be put in place to attract English-speaking Chinese
people.
"China is funding a second international airport
in Sri Lanka, which will be put into operation soon and can be used to increase
flights with China. At the moment we have about ten flights a week to India but
the numbers to China are less," he said, adding that this could be one
reason for the small figure of Chinese tourists.
"Trade between Sri Lanka and China can also be
improved. As Sri Lanka looks to fast track its development, it needs investment
from Chinese companies that can also bring their expertise and knowledge to
us," said Sumathipala.
Both sides agreed to continue engagement with frequent
visits. The Sri Lankan MPs expressed their gratitude to China for its support
in protecting territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka in various
international fora including the United Nations as well as the assistance given
during the time of the war, which ended in 2009.
Weerakkody said that the recent tour of China's top
legislator Wu Bangguo to Sri Lanka was a "great honor" to this island
country as it was a symbol of the warm relations enjoyed by the two countries.
In a meeting earlier, Secretary General of Parliament
Dhammika Dasanayake briefed the Chinese delegation about the functions carried
out by the Sri Lankan parliament.
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Editor: Mu Xuequan
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