Sri Lanka to sign Sister City Agreement with three cities in Eastern China

(October 08, Beijing, Sri Lanka Guardian) An initiative was launched during the State visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to mark the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of Diplomatic Relations between Sri Lanka and China in February 2007, to link important Sri Lankan cities/provinces together with economically developed cities/provinces in China in a bid to develop closer political, economical and cultural relations at regional level.

The first agreement under this programme was signed linking Hambantota and Guangzhou during the state visit.

The opening of the Sri Lanka Consulate in Shanghai in December 2007, and the visit of Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to Shanghai provided an opportunity to discuss further with the leaders in the region on linking cities of Sri Lanka and Eastern China. Thereafter at a discussion held with the Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, H. E Zhong Shan in Hangzhou City and later during his meeting with the Vice Governor in Sri Lanka in April 2008, Foreign Minister Bogollagama once again emphasized the importance of signing the Sister City Agreement.

As a direct consequence of these meetings, in October 2008, Sri Lanka and China would sign three sister city agreements shortly linking the cities of Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, Nuwara Eliya and Bentota with cities of Eastern China, namely Hangzhou, Yongzhou and Yancheng.

These agreements to establish Sister City ties will entail cooperation in economy, trade, science, technology and tourism. The signing of the Sister City Agreements, would also harness resource mobilization for economic and infrastructural development, greater market access and increase people to people contact between the cities that are linked in both Sri Lanka and China.

Governor Central Province, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa will lead a 5 member delegation to Yongzhou City (Hunan Province) during the period 12th – 15th October 2008 to sign an agreement to establish Sister City ties between Nuwara Eliya and Yongzhou.

In 2007, the provincial GDP of Zhejiang stood at 2.5 trillion Yuan, up by 14.5% compared with 2006. The total fiscal revenue was 324 billion Yuan and the local fiscal revenue was 165 billion Yuan. The per capita GDP was US $4300. The population of Zhejiang Province is 50.56 million.

Yongzhou has a total area of 22,400 sq.km and population of 6.3 million.

Her Worship R.M.Swarnalatha Silva Mayor of Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte will lead a 3 member delegation from 16th -19th October 2008 to Hangzhou City (Zhejiang Province) to sign an agreement to establish Sister City ties between Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte and Hangzhou.

The Sri Lankan delegation would also attend the 1st International Sister City Mayors’ Summit where the “Hangzhou Declaration” would be adopted.

Hangzhou is the capital and centre of political, economic, science education and culture of Zhejiang Province. The total area of the city is 16.596 square km with a population of 6,604,500.

Governor, Southern Province, Mrs. Kumari Balasuriya will lead a 8 member delegation to Nanjing City commencing 28th October to 1st November 2008 (Jiangsu Province) to sign an agreement to establish Sister City ties between Bentota and Yancheng.

The Sri Lankan delegation would also attend the “30th Anniversary of the adoption of China’s reforms and also the 30th Anniversary since establishing friendly relations with other countries”.

In 2007, the provincial GDP of Jiangsu was 2.5 trillion Yuan, up by 14.8% compared with 2006. The total revenue was 559 billion Yuan and the local fiscal revenue was 223 billion Yuan. The per capital GDP was US$ 4430. The population of Jiangsu Province is 76.25 million.

Yangcheg City is the largest in Jiangsu in terms of its land area and the second largest in population.

Forging of closer ties between these cities and the signing of these Sister City Agreements were coordinated by the Consulate of Sri Lanka in Shanghai under the guidance of Ambassador Karunatilaka Amunugama. - Sri Lanka Guardian