China's rising will not bring any threat to the development of south Asian countries, said Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Lakshman Kadirgamar in Beijing Tuesday at the Chinese Institute of International Studies.

In his speech themed on "Peaceful Ascendancy of China," Lakshman Kadirgamar said that each time he visited China, he found remarkable changes here including more skyscrapers and highways in cities and transformation in people's ideas.

China's economic growth in the past two decades has been amazing and China is playing a larger role in the international arena, he said. "China's ascendancy is evident."

As the most populous country in the world, China's rising will bring enormous impact to Asia and the world at large, so south Asian countries are concerned about in what way China's rising will influence the region, he said.

"China will rise peacefully," he said, noting that the peaceful ascendancy is connected with China's long-time focus on its domestic economic development and will bring benefit to south Asian countries. "It is totally unnecessary for China to seek military expansion."

China has been devoted to the development of friendly relations with south Asian countries, making contributions to the peace and development in the region, he said.

China has increased its trade, direct investment and cooperation of labor service with south Asian countries, which proves China's rising has brought true benefit to south Asian countries in all aspects, he said.

Sri Lanka, having frequent cultural contacts in history and centuries of friendly exchanges with China, promptly recognized the People's Republic of China immediately after is was founded, he said, expressing confidence about the bright prospect of bilateral relations.

Sri Lanka has been adhering to the one-China policy as well as supporting China's peaceful reunification cause and stances on human rights issue, he said.

Lakshman Kadirgamar came to China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2004)