May 20, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association (SLCFA) recently hosted a ceremonial event to launch the book “Sri Lanka Cheena Mithudama” (ශ්රී ලංකා චීන මිතුදම) at the National Library and Documentation Services Board Auditorium in Sri Lanka.
The event was attended by distinguished guests, including former Speaker of Parliament Deshabandu Karu Jayasuriya, who delivered the keynote address, and Qi Zhenhong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sri Lanka, who was the guest of honour.
Ananda Goonatilleke, President of the SLCFA and Attorney-at-Law, chaired the event, underscoring the longstanding relationship between Sri Lanka and China.
The SLCFA, initially established as the “Ceylon-China Friendship Union” on September 21, 1950, by the Ceylon Communist Party, has been instrumental in fostering people-to-people diplomatic ties.
The union’s first president was Lady Kusuma Gunawardena, mother of the current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dinesh Gunawardena.
In his welcome address, Goonatilleke highlighted the comprehensive content of the book, which covers a variety of subjects including historical connections, Buddhist ties, diplomatic relations, literature, economic and cultural cooperation, Chinese cuisine, China’s support in the conflict against the LTTE, media, philately, photography, and more.
He expressed appreciation for the contributors and acknowledged the ongoing support from the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka.
Jayasuriya, in his keynote speech, emphasised the significance of the Rice and Rubber Pact in cementing the strong bond between Sri Lanka and China.
He praised the SLCFA for its seven decades of commitment to enhancing people-to-people relations between the two nations.
A notable moment of the event was the formal presentation of the first copies of “Sri Lanka Cheena Mithudama” by Goonatilleke to Karu Jayasuriya and Ambassador Qi Zhenhong.
The event also featured prominent individuals such as Dr. G. Weerasinghe, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka; Aruna Goonatilleke, SLCFA Executive Vice President; Vice Presidents Thilak Botheju, Daya Lankapura, and Premadara Dissanayake; along with SLCFA office bearers, civil society activists, and members of the public.
Attendees were presented with a complimentary copy of “Sri Lanka Cheena Mithudama,” commemorating the enduring friendship between Sri Lanka and China.
