Sajith Calls for Stronger Sri Lanka-Vietnam Cooperation

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-09

[00:00:03]The honorable leader of the opposition in parliament.

[00:00:12]His Excellency To Lam.

[00:00:15]Honorable Prime [snorts] Minister.

[00:00:18]Honorable Speaker.

[00:00:21]Honorable members of the Sri Lankan parliament.

[00:00:26]Distinguished guests.

[00:00:29]Friends.

[00:00:32]Your Excellency.

[00:00:35]We are extremely proud and honored to have you visiting Sri Lanka.

[00:00:42]Addressing this noble and august assembly.

[00:00:49]Our legislature which illustrates Sri Lanka's democratic vitality and strength.

[00:01:04]If I may go back in time, it was in 1978 one of the distinguished leaders of Vietnam, the then Prime Minister of Vietnam, His Excellency Pham Van Dong, who visited Sri Lanka during the J.R. Jayewardene administration.

[00:01:31]And I remember distinctly as a small child that I also had the distinguished opportunity of greeting him.

[00:01:44]Vietnam as a country has shown that challenges, despair, conflict can be transformed into growth, poverty reduction, peace, and prosperity.

[00:02:17]Vietnam is a classic example of a country that has a single-minded approach and a determination to ensure that challenges are overcome, that setbacks are transformed into victories, and if I may say so, the path-breaking reforms known as Doi Moi propelled your country into one of the fastest-growing countries, economies.

[00:03:05]Today, your country is valued in terms of monetary terms, your economy, it ranges from 480 billion US dollars to 500.

[00:03:25]>> [clears throat] >> Each year, US dollars 27 billion are attracted in foreign direct investment.

[00:03:39]We remember quite distinctly, to name an example of your vitality, of your strength and determination to attract foreign investment.

[00:03:56]When Samsung as a company was in the process of deciding whether to invest in Sri Lanka or Vietnam, your country had the framework, the structure, the requisite policies to attract Samsung.

[00:04:21]And today, it has become a manufacturing giant.

[00:04:30]Today, Vietnam has managed to ensure that the prosperity that you generate is shared.

[00:04:44]That you have inclusive growth in the country.

[00:04:48]You have made sure that your growth and prosperity is not enjoyed by the powerful few, rather major sectors and sections of your society engage in economic activity.

[00:05:07]And they appreciate and enjoy the fruits, the results, and the consequences of growth and economic development.

[00:05:21]Honorable members of parliament, Vietnam is a classic example in terms of economic development, which Sri Lanka must learn from.

[00:05:36]In terms of macroeconomic management, and also in terms of microeconomic management, Vietnam has shown in the past few decades how adversity can be overcome and victory attained.

[00:05:58]So, your Excellency your visit today it marks a symbol of both our countries sharing a common purpose a common religious and cultural tradition.

[00:06:18]We are linked inextricably by the human values that we possess.

[00:06:29]May I also remind Vietnam's great late leader Ho Chi Minh has visited Sri Lanka not once not twice three times.

[00:06:46]The great leader Ho Chi Minh is the epitome of anti-colonialism and anti-imperialism.

[00:06:59]With few resources but great determination you fought off French colonialism and American imperialism.

[00:07:15]Today you are following a a model approach a non-aligned approach if I may say so establishing positive alignments with all of the members of the international world.

[00:07:33]So, I congratulate you, your Excellency your country your people the citizenry the government in all your achievements.

[00:07:45]And I would like to take this opportunity to request you to have a closer relationship with Sri Lanka.

[00:07:56]Promote cooperation specifically in the technologically advanced fields, in electronics, in artificial intelligence, modern-day technological sectors, so that both of our countries can move forward and prosper.

[00:08:18]Surely, Sri Lanka has a lot to learn from your country.

[00:08:22]And we will ensure that your visit acts as a symbol for greater cooperation, establishing mutual respect for each other.

[00:08:37]And let's move forward as two countries.

[00:08:40]Thank you very much.

[00:08:48]The meeting is temporarily suspended until 1:30 p.m. today.

[00:10:02]>> Mhm.