Sri Lanka to firmly pursue One China policy: officials

Sri Lanka will continue its support for One China policy and push forward greater development of relations with China, a parliament leader and government officials have said.

Sri Lanka appreciates the great achievements Tibet has made in various fields, Thilanga Sumathipala, Deputy Speaker of Sri Lanka's parliament, said as he met with visiting delegation of Tibetan Deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China on Wednesday.

He also said Sri Lanka would further deepen exchanges in economy, trade, culture and other fields with China.

The Chinese delegation also met with Wijayadasa Rajapaksha, minister of Buddha Sasana, famous Buddhist figures of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka's Parliamentary Friendship Group and a number of Sri Lankan and Chinese friendly groups.

Penba Tashi, Head of the delegation and Vice-Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, briefed the hosts on the achievements in Tibet in the areas of political democracy, economic development, social undertakings, ecological protection and freedom of religious belief since the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

He stressed that without the wise leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, the people of Tibet would not have had their happy life now and an even brighter future.

During their three-day visit, Penba Tashi also on several occasions advocated the system of the NPC, the national legislature of China, clarified China's principled stance on Tibet-related issues and expressed hope that Sri Lanka would, as always, support China's principled stance on Tibet-related issues. Endit