President Maithripala Sirisena’s speech at the Opening Plenary of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2015, Boao, Hainan Province, China, March 28, 2015.
Good morning,
Your Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, Honourable Yasuo Fukuda, Chairman, Boao Forum for Asia, Mr Zhou, Wenzhong, Secretary-General Boao Forum for Asia, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
It gives me great pleasure to participate in this August assembly, which brings together world leaders as well as the global business community upon a common platform for a constructive and mutually beneficial dialog. Such a meeting is most appropriate in the context of achieving our collective goal of prosperity and development for the people of Asia. Today Asian enterprise is a key driver in global economic development as Asian economies continues to grow they have also become more complex and more integrated with each other and with the rest of the world. The theme of this year’s forum Asia’s New Future: Towards a Community of Common Destiny is relevant and timely. The wealth of Asia is measured in GDP per capita terms differs wildly among and within stages even as Asia has the majority of the world’s population accounting for nearly sixty percent of the estimated 7.2 billion, it is also home to majority of the world’s poor.
The rising prosperity many of our Asian countries is evident in the high consumption and high expenditure. There is an ever-growing disparity among the people. In my address to the nation last month, on the national day, I highlighted this issue and made a sincere promise to reduce the income gap and eliminate poverty as a key objective of my government.
Excellences, ladies and gentlemen
There remains a notable disparity in the decree of intra-regional integration. This calls for a new thinking on Asian growth strategy and more cooperative partnership among the community of Asia. Simplified trade and reducing non-tariff barriers is vital in order to enhance connectivity.
The Asian region is also still largely dependent on extra-regional markets for its final exports and lacks significant counterparts within the region. In such a scenario, how do we achieve a community of common destiny for Asia? The answers needs developing appropriate public policies, strategies to respond to these challenges while taking into consideration the specific differences in respective countries. Sri Lanka is committed to such cooperation and collective action within the community of Asian nations. The people of Sri Lanka on the 8th of January gave me an overwhelming mandate to take the country on a path of progress, as nation welcoming a new dawn of democracy, good governance, the rule of law and equal opportunities for all.
Toward this end, my government is implementing ambitious hundred day programme, inclusion of constitutional reforms to usher in a new political culture, as well as achieving lasting national reconciliation among all communities.
Sri Lanka as a maritime nation with natural ecological advantages will work in tandem with friendly countries to maintain cooperation in the maritime age. Sri Lanka is currently identified as a country with relatively high growth among emerging market economies. The country’s growth in per capita terms in recent years is comparable to middle income economy levels. We are hopeful that our FTA with China, currently under negotiations, will provide further inputs for value addition and economic cooperation in the region.
Our inbound tourism from China has increased significantly, and Asian countries rank among the top investors in Sri Lanka.
This important forum can play a significant role to achieve our collective vision of an Asian community of common destiny.
In conclusion, I take this opportunity to convey my best wishes for a successful and productive outcome for the Boao Forum for Asia 2015.
Thank you.
D.Nimal / March 29, 2015
‘The new dawn of democracy’, ‘good governances’ and ‘rule of Law’ are sweet words of Western ‘democracy’ has been singings by MS ,UNP-Ranil. W.. and CBK, which according to tune of domination of hegemonic politics of Imperial sovereignty since 2015 January, Mandate given by public misled of propaganda.
The speech has nothing new that except Indian tone of high sound ; that surrender of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and Territorial Integrity and democracy that penetrated by Indian RAW of their vital interest of area of Trincomalee Port and Hundred of Oil Tanks remain in Sri lanka soil.
We like it or not, that MS political ‘democracy’ is more or less depend of advice and intelligence of foreign thinking thanks, by and large back by Indian BJP-RSS political agenda of that outlet of influence by RAW.
Policies makers has been shifted form our soil in Foreign land.
For example Central Bank is currently managed and administered by Singhopern citizen of Tamil Ethnicity.
Billons of Rupees were involved by UNP-appointment CB Governor of which Bank inside trading of Govt. Bonds, that Tax payers has lost Billions of Rupees.
‘Rule of Law’ did not apply in this case may be involvement scandal amount is billons of Rupees and ruling parties alliances, that IMF and World Bank kept silence on this issues of corrupted practice of MS, UNP-Ranil W.. and CBK governances, because they are Pro -Western regime of “Democracy”
They-IMF, World Bank, & ABD deliberated ignore Bonds scandal by MS regime which keeping silent of financial disciplined on, reason is only current ongoing Regime back by US and UK.
That is part and parcel’ New Dawn of democracy’ of MS regime, which is result of his ‘Good Governances.’
History of his(MS) reign is short period by Bonds scandal amounts is large than ever Sri lankn, history financial operation since Indepencace 1948?
CB and PM -UNP minority Govt. has no democracy an accountability, that lost of Central Bank Bonds of Tax payers money is amount having huge lost to the Public Treasury of Govt. and Public.
Needless to say there are out of reality of Global polities current shape and trend ,its development. MS has lost credibility of ‘New Dawn of Democracy’ An Island of Sri lanka.
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gamini / March 29, 2015
D. Nimal,
where were you when MR was selling our Sovereignty to all and sundry? Was there Transparency and Accountability in the Central bank under Nevard Cabral? Any knowledge you have as to how much we have lost due to their follies and deliberate theft?
Does your initial D denotes the animal that fits your intelligence displayed in your comment?
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Bandu de Silva / March 29, 2015
“Sri Lanka as a maritime nation with ecological advantages will work with friendly countries to maintain cooperation in the maritime age….”
Looks like Modi was breathing down Sri Lankan President’s neck at this point for the latter to give such a non-committal response after the Chinese Prez had detailed out the objectives of Chinese Silk Road project and Maritime Silk Road Project.That is after Modi saw the Sri Lankan Prez going a step out on Chinese Prez’s remarks on Maritime Silk Road at the bi-lateral talks earlier.
A relieved Modi would have said “Well said, Sirisena” after Hainan.
Bandu
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Chedi / March 31, 2015
a must read:
Passive investor to partner in crime: How China lost the plot in Sri Lanka
Chinese investments got sucked into the vortex of Sri Lanka’s local politics and were left high and dry when a friendly regime was swept away
http://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1750377/passive-investor-partner-crime-how-china-lost-plot-sri-lanka
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