Foreign Studies University of China grants a Honorary Doctorate to President Mahinda Rajapaksa

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is on a 4 day official visit to China, declared open the new Sri Lanka Research Centre at the Foreign Studies University in Beijing this morning.

The President was the Chief Guest at this function held at the Foreign Studies University of Beijing which coincides with the 70 years of establishing the University and 50 years of establishing the Sinhala Language Education Unit of the University.

Under the Asia-Africa faculty of the Foreign Studies University of Beijing 17 foreign languages including the Sinhala language, are being taught. At present there are 14 Chinese students studying the Sinhala language for the Graduate Course and 3 students studying Sinhala for their Masters course.

Speaking at this function, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said economic development in a country should be achieved in coordination with the culture, traditions and the future aspirations of the people of the country and in this regard Sri Lanka cold learn much from China.

The President said that China’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s development is very much evident through the projects being established throughout the country with Chinese assistance and said that the people and the government of Sri Lanka are grateful for the people and the Government of China for the unstinted cooperation it extended to defeat the scourge of terrorism from Sri Lanka.

He said that as per historical records made by Roman Historians about the Sri Lanka-China relationships, not only through the visit of the Fahian Thero to Sri Lanka in the 4th Century, the relationship was further developed through Silk route trades, signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact in 1952, and establishment of diplomatic relationships in 1957.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa was received at the University by the Chancellor of the University Professor Chen Yulu and at this function an Honorary Doctorate was also presented by the Foreign Studies University of Beijing.

The Chancellor of the University Professor Chen Yulu said that the steps being taken by President Mahinda Rajapaksa would help not only to improve the educational ties between Sri Lanka and China but also to strengthen peace in the world.

The University also presented a monumental plaque to the President and in return President Mahinda Rajapaksa also presented a memorabilia to the University.

The President also had a cordial discussion with the Sinhala medium students of the University.

The President also planted a sapling in the University premises in memory of the Sri Lanka-China friendship.

The Ministers Prof. G.L.Peiris, and Mr. S.B.Dissanayake, President’s Secretary Mr. Lalith Weeratunge, and Parliamentarian Mr. Sajin Vas Gunawardene, Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Mr. Karunatilleke Amunugama, the Sri Lankan Ambassador in China Mr. Ranjith Uyangoda, the Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Mrs. Yang Xinping, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrema, the Head of the Asian-African Faculty of the University Yang Xiaojing, the first student who studied Sinhala in the contemporary China Zheng Yuzhong also attended the function.

- Asian Tribune -