Throughout a history spanning over 2,500 years, Sri Lanka has tended many fruitful and long-lasting cultural ties with China, and this relationship today has reached its heights, visiting Chinese Vice Premier and a prominent leader of government of China, Zhang Dejiang said. He said that the mutual co-operation and people-to-people interactions of both Sri Lanka and China based on common values and historical and cultural bonds, yet remain. He said this during his visit to the National Museum in Colombo with Cultural Affairs Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi.

Minister Wanniarachchi welcomed the 30 member Chinese delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Dejiang and accompanied them during their visit to the Independence Square and the Museum.

After witnessing Chinese coins, ceramic artifacts and trilingual epigraphic edict written by using Tamil, Chinese and Persian languages on display at the Museum, the Vice Premier said that these evidences indicate a strong bilateral relationship between the two countries spanning over 2500 years.

Fa-Hian, the celebrated Chinese Buddhist Monk who travelled to Sri Lanka to acquire Buddhist scriptures between the years 399 and 412 had recorded that he was greatly moved to find silks in the island from his native China. Contemporary Chinese records maintained that Persia-bound vessels from China traded in gems, spices and ivory at the flourishing port of Mantota. Ivory was highly valued in China where expert Chinese craftsmen turned out exquisite carvings from it.

The historical records indicate that in 527 AD, Lankan King Silakala had sent an ambassador to the Chinese Emperor’s Court. With the installation of the Tang dynasty in China in 618 - 907 AD, closer ties were established with Sri Lanka. Several Chinese monks visited the island in search of the Dhamma, in addition to the many Sri Lankan Buddhist monks who travelled to China.

A large collection of Chinese coins, in total 1,352, were found almost a hundred years ago in, Yapahuwa, the early 13th century stronghold of King Bhuwanekabahu the First. Three of the coins analysed had been from the Tang dynasty and all the others from the Northern and Southern Sung dynasties. More collections of coins and artifacts had been discovered in places such as Buttala and Nagapatnam, suggesting relations with China dating back to hundreds of years.

Cultural Affairs Minister Wanniarachchi on behalf of the Sri Lankan people and the government thanked the visiting Chinese delegation for Chinese Government’s assistance to Sri Lanka. She specially mentioned the Chinese government’s assistance in building the National Arts and Performance Theatre in Colombo at a cost of Rs 2250 million and for the construction of the BMICH. Minister Wanniarachchi presented a memento to Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang to mark the occasion. Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Yang Xiuping and senior officials of the ministry were present.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday night on a three-day official visit. Vice Premier Dejiang is here on an invitation extended to him by Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne.