Comment:

President's China visit to open new vistas

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will pay an official visit to China starting tomorrow on the invitation of President Hu Jintao. Sri Lanka and China have enjoyed economic, cultural, social and political ties from time immemorial. The bonds between the two countries strengthened with the passage of time. The two countries have been friends and have helped each other in times of need.

The bond between the two countries today is not merely a cordial relationship but a strong economic and business cooperation between the two governments as well as the private sector. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's visit to China will no doubt change the economic landscape of Sri Lanka.

In world history there are success stories of following politically and economically powerful countries or a model of a successful country and achieving great gains.

In the polarised world context during the Cold War period India followed the Soviet Union. Since her independence there were strong bilateral ties between the two countries. This relationship was the base of India's rise as an economic giant today.

Though some critics argue that India's history would have changed and she would have been better off if the other path was chosen, the fact is that the Indian leaders achieved success by following one model consistently.

If we consider China, the situation is the same. The leaders of China put into practice what they saw in other countries, as they wanted their country to be an economic giant. In an interview with the Time Magazine in 2005 Singapore PM Lee Kuan Yew explained how Deng Xiaoping, the father of modern China was impressed with Singapore's experience.

When asked who was the most impressive person he had met in his public life? Yew's answer was "Deng Xiaoping." He then explained the reasons; "I met this small man when he came to Singapore in November 1978.

This small four-foot eleven man, but a giant of a leader gave me a long spiel - the Russian bear. Vietnam was his Cuba in the Far East, danger for you. He said I must congratulate you, you've done a good job in Singapore" I said, "Oh How's that? He said, "I came to Singapore on my way to Marseilles in 1920.

It was a lousy place. You have made it a different place". I said, "Thank you whatever we can do you can do better. We are the descendants of the landless peasants of South China. You have the Mandarins, the writers, the thinkers and all the bright people you can do better." He looked at me but said nothing.

Yew said, "In November 1992 during his famous tour of the Southern provinces, he said, "learn from Singapore and do better than them." I thought Oh! he never forgot what I said to him".

"Within weeks of his leaving the country, the People's Daily changed headlines saying that Singapore is no longer a running dog of the Americans it's a very nice city, a garden city, clean place. They changed their line and he changed to the open door policy.

After a lifetime as a communist at the age of 74 Deng Xiaoping persuaded his long march contemporaries to return to a market economy". That is how China did it.

Deng Xiaoping visited Singapore, saw the difference, got good advice and immediately put it to practice for the good of the common man.

No different, all our past leaders too went all over the world and vowed to make the country a heaven-like what they saw. The most famous case is the late President J.R. Jayewardene's dream of making Sri Lanka a model Singapore. He had sought the advice of PM Lee Kuan Yew.

In his book "From Third World to First, Yew recalls the memories of his meeting with President Jayewardene. He writes, "Sri Lanka could go forward by developing its agricultural, irrigation and housing sectors.

But President Jayewardene had been determined to set up its own airline in Sri Lanka, as he believed it was a symbol of progress. By the time Singapore Airlines employed a good Sri Lankan Captain.

He wanted me to release him. But how could a captain run an airline? He wanted Singapore Airlines to help. We did. I advised that an airline should not be his priority because it required too many talented and good administrators to get an airline off the ground. When he needed them for irrigation, agriculture, housing industrial promotion and development and so many other projects.

An airline was a glamour project not of great value for developing Sri Lanka. But he insisted, so we helped him launch it in six months seconding 80 of Singapore Airline staff for two-three year periods as well as helping them through our worldwide sales representation, setting up overseas offices as well as training staff.

But when the pilot now the chairman of the airline decided to buy two-second hand craft against our advice we decided to withdraw. Faced with a five-fold expansion of capacity, negative cash flow, lack of trained staff, unreliable service and insufficient passengers it was bound to fail and it did fail.

Several other projects including the Singapore style area-licensing scheme to reduce traffic entering the city and housing program have been flops due to various reasons".

That's how the Sri Lankan story ended.

Two leaders, Den Xiaoping and J.R Jayewardene met the great leader Lee Kuan Yew got advice and what is the position of these two countries today? One is an economic giant because the leader followed the advice to the letter. Our leaders still go with the begging bowl and are proud of it after every donor forum.

In this backdrop President Rajapaksa has the greatest responsibility of changing this scenario. China is one of the most productive countries where one could find solutions for most of the issues that the country now faces in economic, business or defence.

Today China is an economic and political superpower. It is the number one competitor to our apparel industry. It is also the world's biggest cotton and textile manufacturer. If we can collaborate with each other in the world market there are endless opportunities we can tap. We have already treated China in the best possible manner.

We have awarded one of our eight oil fields in the North to China for oil exploration. China too honoured Sri Lanka with many monumental awards such as the BMICH and the New Superior Courts Complex. But the pressing need today is strong business and economic cooperation that can make the country's economy prosperous and growing.