The visit of Premier Wen Jiabao marks yet another milestone in the relations between Sri Lanka and China, which is Sri Lanka's "friend indeed," the Sunday Observer said in an editorial titled "A Friend Indeed." 

The weekly published newspaper said in the editorial that China is the rising star in Asia.

China has been consistently following a path of peace, and "its foreign policy has been shaped according to the historic Pancha Seela principle (the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence) enunciated at the Bandung Conference, the precursor to the Non-Aligned Movement."

The editorial recalled that Sri Lanka was one of the first countries to break the isolation of China imposed by imperialist powers by signing a trade agreement in 1952 much to the dislike of the West.

Since then China has come a long way, said the paper.

"It has gained its legitimate position in the UN and in the Security Council. Its one-China policy has been accepted by a majority of countries including world powers, " said the paper.

"Only the Taiwan issue remains to be settled and China hopes to settle it by peaceful means and our sympathies are with China on this issue," the paper said.

The visit of the Chinese premier has brought tangible results, said the paper, adding that "new avenues of expanding economic, political and cultural relations between the two countries are sure to emerge from this visit."

"China remains a friend when in need and a true friend indeed," said the editorial.

(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2005)