Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with the newly appointed Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sri Lanka, H.E. Wei Huaxiang, at Temple Trees on September 16. Ambassador Wei presented his credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on August 25, 2026.
The discussion focused on further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and China, with particular attention to cooperation in education, digital transformation and development, as the two countries prepare to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.
Particular attention was given to the Chinese Government’s support for the provision of school uniforms to Sri Lankan students. The two sides discussed the possibility of moving from the current annual arrangement towards a longer-term framework spanning three to five years, with the aim of ensuring the timely and predictable delivery of school uniforms ahead of the commencement of each new school year.
The progress of the Chinese-assisted digital education initiative was also reviewed. Under the initiative, 900 smart devices are expected to support 500 smart classrooms across the country as part of Sri Lanka’s broader efforts to advance the digital transformation of the education sector.
The Prime Minister briefed the Ambassador on the Task Force on the Digital Transformation of Education, which is engaged in developing policy for digital education. Ambassador Wei welcomed the initiative and expressed China’s support for the work of the Task Force, with further engagement between the Task Force and the Chinese Embassy expected to follow.
Discussions also covered scholarship opportunities available to Sri Lankan students through the Chinese Government Scholarship Programme and the Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship Programme, as well as the importance of strengthening regional and international cooperation to address the online safety of children.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for China’s assistance to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah and conveyed her condolences over the loss and damage caused by recent landslides and floods in Tibetan border areas. The discussion also highlighted the importance of cooperation in strengthening climate resilience.
