Chinese Ambassador Calls for Stronger China–Sri Lanka Media Cooperation

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, H.E. Wei Huaxiang, addressed the 2026 China–Sri Lanka Media Cooperation and Exchange Seminar, held in Colombo.

The seminar was hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, and organized by the Yunnan International Communication Center for South and Southeast Asia (YICC) and the Association for Sri Lanka–China Social and Cultural Cooperation (ASLCSCC).

In his remarks, Ambassador Wei highlighted the vital role of the media in strengthening mutual understanding, people-to-people ties, and practical cooperation between China and Sri Lanka.

He called on Chinese and Sri Lankan media organizations to further deepen media exchanges, share the stories of the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries, and work together to amplify the voice and perspectives of the Global South.

The seminar provided an important platform for media professionals from both countries to exchange views, strengthen professional cooperation, and explore new opportunities for collaboration in the media and communication sectors.

Remarks at the 2026 China-Sri Lanka Media Cooperation and Exchange Seminar

Good afternoon! Ayubowan! Vanakkam! Assalamu alaykum!

It is a great pleasure to attend the 2026 China-Sri Lanka Media Cooperation and Exchange Seminar. On behalf of the Embassy of China in Sri Lanka, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations on the successful opening of the seminar, and express my sincere appreciation to members of the media and friends from all walks of life who have long cared about and supported the development of China-Sri Lanka relations.

China and Sri Lanka enjoy a long-standing friendship. The ancient “Silk Road” recorded the historical footprints of friendly exchanges between our two countries, and the Rubber-Rice Pact forged a deep friendship between the two sides through times of hardship and adversity. Nowadays, bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative has borne abundant fruit. China-Sri Lanka friendship has weathered winds and rains while still gaining renewed vigour over the years. The media are important witnesses, chroniclers and promoters of this path of friendship.

Next year, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Sri Lanka, and the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact. China-Sri Lanka relations will face a historic opportunity to build on the past achievements and chart the future. It is therefore more important than ever for the Chinese and Sri Lankan media to serve as a bridge for telling new stories of sincere mutual assistance, everlasting friendship, and win-win cooperation toward a shared future between China and Sri Lanka in the new era, further carrying forward China-Sri Lanka friendship and enhancing people-to-people exchanges.

Serve as recorders of true stories, showcasing the “sincerity” and “trust” in China-Sri Lanka cooperation.

China-Sri Lanka practical cooperation has yielded fruitful outcomes in recent years. From the Colombo Port City rising from the sea, to the Hambantota Port thriving through the sea; from the China-Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Centre for Water Technology(JRDC) safeguarding the source of life, to the school uniform fabrics benefiting millions of students across the island, all such projects have not only contributed to Sri Lanka’s economic development but also brought tangible benefits to the local people. Chinese-made electric vehicles have entered the daily life of the Sri Lankan people, while China-Sri Lanka cooperation in emerging fields such as green energy, agricultural technology and artificial intelligence boasts broad prospects. The media of both countries should go to the front line, presenting an objective and comprehensive picture of various cooperation projects, telling vivid stories of how Chinese modernization connects with Sri Lanka’s development vision, promoting the “kindness” and “goodness” of those projects, and helping to build a bright future of mutual success and shared prosperity.

Serve as promoters of mutual learning between civilizations, building bridges for the “connection” and “communication” between our peoples.

China and Sri Lanka share ancient civilizations and rich cultural heritage. Tea culture plays an important role in bringing our two peoples closer together. Yunnan Province and Sri Lanka have built close ties through tea. Mutually beneficial cooperation in the tea industry and mutual learning between our tea cultures are deepening steadily. In recent years, media and people-to-people exchanges between China and Sri Lanka have grown closer. Every year the Chinese Embassy invites groups of Sri Lankan journalists to China for training and exchange. Going forward, both sides should further deepen media cooperation mechanisms and expand exchange platforms. We should pursue practical cooperation in news reporting, content production, personnel training and technological innovation, and jointly tell vivid stories of China-Sri Lanka friendship and cooperation. At the same time, we should strengthen dialogue and interaction with young people through new media, short videos and social media platforms, and build stronger public support for bilateral friendship.

Serve as fellow companions in the pursuit of development, working together to strengthen the media voice of the Global South.

In the global media landscape, the voices of developing countries remain relatively weak. The media of China and Sri Lanka have a responsibility to deepen cooperation and strengthen coordination in international communication. We should speak with a common voice on issues such as climate change, poverty reduction and development, and global governance, while effectively countering misinformation and misleading narratives. Through mutual learning and coordinated action, both sides should not only create a favorable media environment for the development of bilateral relations, but also contribute the wisdom and solutions of the Global South to improving the global information governance system.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, we will witness the launch of the outcomes of the Colombo Initiative on China-Sri Lanka Media Cooperation and the China-Sri Lanka Media Cooperation Action Plan. This is an important step towards implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of our two countries and advancing practical cooperation between the Chinese and Sri Lankan media. It also reflects our shared commitment to deepening practical media exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. Let us take this seminar as a new starting point, broaden areas and explore new forms of cooperation, use our pens and cameras to record a new splendid chapter of China-Sri Lanka friendship, and make greater contributions to building a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future.

Thank you!

Friday, 11 September, 3:00 p.m., Emerald Hall, 9th Floor, Courtyard by Marriott Colombo