[Title] Japan-Sri Lanka Summit Meeting Joint Statement -Deepening and Expansion of the Comprehensive Partnership between Japan and Sri Lanka-
1. H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, and H.E. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, held a summit meeting on 12 April 2017 in Tokyo.
2. Both leaders underlined the importance of maintaining and strengthening a free and open maritime order based on the rule of law as a cornerstone for the stability and prosperity of the international community, and expressed their strong commitment to working together for a common strategic objective of ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe welcomed the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy initiated by Japan and its greater engagement in the region under this strategy. Both leaders underscored that the key to the growth of the region is for Sri Lanka to play a greater role as a regional hub, which would connect trade flows among ASEAN, India, the Middle East and Africa through free and open seas. They shared the intention to further promote bilateral cooperation to enhance regional connectivity through relevant initiatives including Quality Infrastructure Investment.
3. To achieve these objectives, both leaders decided to further deepen and broaden bilateral cooperation under the Joint Declaration on the Comprehensive Partnership between Japan and Sri Lanka in October 2015. The focus would be placed on: (i) further promoting investment and trade; (ii) advancing concrete cooperation on programmes on Sri Lanka's national development plan, including those aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth based on the Partnership for Quality Infrastructure and the Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure; (iii) further expanding cooperation on maritime affairs; and (iv) advancing concrete cooperation on national reconciliation and peace-building.
Promotion of Investment and Trade
4. Both leaders noted that Japan-Sri Lanka economic relations are rapidly developing through private sector initiatives, and expressed their determination to further improve the investment environment.
5. Both leaders welcomed the successful first meeting of the Economic Policy Dialogue in July 2016 and the formulation of the Japan-Sri Lanka Investment Promotion Roadmap, which aims to outline concrete steps for investment promotion, and the success of the Colombo Conference on the Challenges for Plugging into Asian Value Chains: East Asian Experience by the Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO) and the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade of Sri Lanka (MODSIT) in March 2017.
6. Both leaders also noted with satisfaction the steady increase in exchanges among private companies aimed at broadening Japanese business presence in Sri Lanka. These include: the visit of Japan-Sri Lankan Economic Joint Committee to Sri Lanka in June 2016, the Japan-Sri Lanka Technology & Business Seminar 2017 by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in Colombo in March 2017 and the Sri Lanka Business Seminar organised by JETRO in Tokyo on 11 April 2017.
Promotion of Cooperation on the National Development Plan in Sri Lanka
7. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe expressed his appreciation for Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) which played vital roles in the development and modernisation of infrastructure in Sri Lanka. Recognising the importance of developing Sri Lanka as a major hub of the Indian Ocean as well as the aim of achieving sustainable economic growth, both leaders committed to accelerate their cooperation on development of ports, transportation infrastructure and on other national development projects, based on the Partnership for Quality Infrastructure and the Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure.
8. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe expressed his appreciation for Japan's ODA loans totalling approximately 45 billion yen for which the Notes were exchanged today. The loans were extended as additional assistance of Japan to support Sri Lanka's national development efforts. They include a project to extend water supply in the Western Province and a project to develop basic infrastructure to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants in the four provinces (the Northern Province, the Eastern Province, the North Central Province and the Uva Province), especially in the former conflict-affected areas. Prime Minister Abe reiterated his expectation that these aid projects will contribute to the economic development and the improvement in the quality of life of the people of Sri Lanka.
9. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe also conveyed his gratitude to Japan's support for ODA loans totalling approximately 33.1 billion yen concerning the development policy loans (DPL) and the Water Supply Development Project (Phase 2) in the northern part of the Anuradhapura district, for which Notes were exchanged in October 2016.
10. Recognising the recent economic growth in Sri Lanka and the increasing demand for maritime shipment and enhanced regional connectivity, both leaders reaffirmed the importance of open, transparent and commercial use of port facilities under full Sri Lankan Government control. In this regard, they welcomed the grant aid totalling one billion yen, for which Notes were exchanged today, aiming at providing facilities for improved management of the Port of Trincomalee in the Eastern Province. Both leaders also welcomed the concrete progress of the survey on the development of logistics hub areas in the Colombo North Port and its vicinity. Both leaders encouraged investment by the Japanese private sector in the development of the Colombo port, in view of enhancing its competitiveness with Japan's rich and long-standing expertise in the global standard shipping industry.
11. Prime Minister Abe expressed his intention to continue to cooperate in the areas of infrastructure for power and energy supply, transportation, water supply and sewage, as well as disaster prevention, which are the key areas for the foundation of economic growth of Sri Lanka. In this regard, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe welcomed the progress in the survey on the introduction of the Light-Metro system as a new public transportation system in Colombo. Both leaders welcomed the progress of the feasibility study for the development of LNG supply chain conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI), and exchanged views on possible ways of collaboration on this matter. Prime Minister Abe hoped that Japan's rich experience and competitiveness as the world's largest LNG consumer will contribute to Sri Lanka's efforts to introduce efficient and cost-effective supply chain of LNG in Sri Lanka.
12.Prime Minister Wickremesinghe further expressed his gratitude for the progress in the survey conducted by Japan on the urban development of the City of Kandy, an ancient city which has deep and cultural ties with Japan.
13.Both leaders welcomed the appointment of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission by the Government of Sri Lanka as the body for the implementation of the introduction of the Japanese system of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB), as well as the holding of a steering committee on 14 February, 2017. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe stressed the necessity of early preparation of a cost benefit estimate and an implementation plan. They reaffirmed the importance of accelerating efforts for the smooth introduction of the Japanese DTTB system, considering benefits of the system: enjoying disaster information, e-education, e-government, medical information, traffic information, weather forecast, etc. through emergency warning broadcasting and data broadcasting.
Expansion of Maritime Cooperation
14. Both leaders, as leaders of maritime countries, stressed the particular importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight and of maintaining a maritime order based on the rule of law including unimpeded commerce, and they shared the intention to further promote cooperation and exchanges in maritime security and safety, including anti-piracy measures.
15. Prime Minister Abe expressed his gratitude to the Government of Sri Lanka for providing support to the vessels of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) during port calls. Both leaders also welcomed the goodwill training conducted between the JMSDF and the Sri Lankan Navy on the occasions of these port calls.
16. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe expressed his gratitude to the Government of Japan for assistance rendered to improve maritime safety capabilities of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard and valued the timely progress in the procurement process of two patrol vessels in the grant aid project for maritime safety, for which Notes were exchanged in June last year.
17. Both leaders welcomed the substantial progress in the high-level defense exchanges between the two countries. This includes the visit by Mr. Hiroyuki Miyazawa, Parliamentary Vice Minister of Defense, to Sri Lanka last December, followed by the planned visit of Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy in June this year. Both leaders also welcomed the broadening of multi-layered exchanges as showcased by the establishment of the Japan-Sri Lanka Defense Dialogue, as well as the holding of the second Dialogue on Maritime Affairs in July this year.
18. Both leaders shared the view on ways to further deepen cooperation among the maritime security authorities in the region, including the participation of Sri Lanka as an observer in the next Japan-India joint exercise between coast guards to be held in India.
19. In light of further strengthening maritime cooperation between the two countries, Prime Minister Abe expressed his expectation to have the participation of Sri Lanka Coast Guard officials in the Maritime Safety and Security Policy Program which conducts master-level education on maritime security, jointly carried out by the Japan Coast Guard Academy, the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Nippon Foundation.
Promotion Cooperation on National Reconciliation and Peacebuilding
20. Both leaders stressed the importance of accelerating national reconciliation for further development of Sri Lanka.
21. Prime Minister Abe welcomed efforts made by the Government of Sri Lanka to address social and economic challenges in former conflict-affected communities, particularly in the Northern Province and the Eastern Province. Prime Minister Abe also welcomed Sri Lanka's continued commitment as the co-sponsor on the resolution at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and looked forward to further efforts by Sri Lanka under its commitment.
22. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe expressed his gratitude to Japan's support for reconstruction and peace-building in Sri Lanka, such as assistance provided to the Jaffna University as well as demining activities in the former conflict-affected area.
23. Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan will continue to support Sri Lanka's efforts on national reconciliation, including through sharing of the expertise of Mr. Motoo Noguchi, who visited Sri Lanka twice since October 2015.
Cooperation on Science, Technology and People to People Exchange
24. Both leaders recognised that human resources are valuable assets for Japan and Sri Lanka, and shared the common aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation and exchanges in human resources development.
25. Recognising that students from Sri Lanka started to visit Japan under the Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Programme in Science (The Sakura Science Plan) at the invitation of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Prime Minister Abe expressed his hope that ties between young generation of the two countries in the field of science and technology will be further strengthened through the programme.
26. Both leaders welcomed the concrete advancement of academic exchanges on science and technology, including the holding of the first Science and Technology in Society (STS) forum in Sri Lanka last September.
27. Both leaders welcomed the concrete progress in cooperative projects in the use of advanced technology of Japanese companies, in the fields of battery storage, disaster prevention, and waste management, with the support of JICA's survey projects for supporting Japanese Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Overseas Business Development.
Cooperation at the International Arena
28.Both leaders decided to further enhance cooperation between the two countries in the international arena in order to address challenges to the peace and stability of the international community as well as global issues.
29. Both leaders condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's repeated nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches, and urged North Korea to refrain from any further provocations, comply with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and other international commitments, and take concrete actions towards denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Both leaders emphasised the importance of strict and comprehensive implementation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Furthermore, both leaders strongly urged North Korea to immediately resolve the abductions issue.
30.Recognising that sea lanes are extremely important for the economic activities and growth of the two countries, both leaders reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the South China Sea, the rights of all states to the freedom of navigation and overflight as well as unimpeded lawful maritime commerce. In this context, both leaders shared the view on the importance of self-restraint, demilitarisation, peaceful resolution of disputes through continued and constructive dialogue and cooperation in accordance with international laws including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
(END)