Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva revealed that a senior member of the Chinese Communist Party’s powerful seven-member Politburo Standing Committee advised him that merely winning state power is not enough — and that to bring about the changes they aspire to, the party must retain power for at least 15 to 20 years.
Speaking during a YouTube interview about his recent extended visit to China, Silva said the Chinese official emphasized that lasting reforms require political stability and continuity, pointing out that even in China, major changes had taken 30 to 40 years to implement.
“In China, there is one party in power, which has its advantages. It allows them to work towards one plan and one policy. If we in Sri Lanka start making changes now but lose power in five years, everything we began could be undone by the next government. To achieve real change, we need at least 15 to 20 years — maybe even four consecutive election victories — to follow through on a single vision,” Silva explained.
He said the Chinese side expressed readiness to support Sri Lanka in various ways — including investments, technology, and party training — and stressed the importance of developing the mindset and skills of party members to transition from an opposition mentality to effective governance.
“We were a party building towards power; now we are a party in power. That means our members must learn new ways of thinking, managing the economy, and governing effectively. The Chinese offered to share their experiences in these areas,” Silva noted.
Silva added that the Chinese officials were pleased that the NPP had come to power despite difficulties and without abandoning its mission, but repeated their warning that significant change cannot be achieved in just a few years and requires long-term political control.
