Heading for a higher trajectory in China-SL people-to-people relations
Tuesday, 15 October 2013 00:15
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Following an invitation extended by Milinda Moragoda, Founder of the Pathfinder Foundation (PF), a high-level delegation led by Yan Junqi, Vice-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (Deputy Speaker), Chairwoman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD) and Vice President of Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD) is visiting Sri Lanka from 13-15 October.
During her visit, Yan is expected to call on President Mahinda Rajapakse and have discussions with several high level officials. Yan and her delegation are also scheduled to meet with a number of China-Sri Lanka friendship associations and a selected set of think-tanks.
The primary focus of these deliberations will be to find ways and means of uplifting existing strong and wide-ranging China-Sri Lanka people-to-people relations to a higher trajectory.
Yan and the delegation will conduct separate discussions with the PF on programs of practical actions to realise the objectives laid out in the Cooperation Agreement signed between CPAPD and the PF in June 2012. As a means of strengthening friendship between the people of the two countries, the emphasis will be placed on investment and trade promotion as well as popularising the Chinese language to facilitate business development, education and cultural exchanges.
Since the signing of the Cooperation Agreement, the PF and CPAPD has had several business, and educational exchanges and a successful tourism promotion mission to Sri Lanka from the cities of Changzhou, Wuxi and Suzhou in Jiangsu Province. This has resulted in a substantial growth in tourism arrivals from these cities.