Farewell, Ceylon; Together We Continue the Story Across Mountains and Seas

Six years ago, bearing the trust and expectations of General Secretary Xi Jinping, carrying with me the profound friendship of the Chinese people, and shouldering the noble mission of elevating China-Sri Lanka relations to a new height, I arrived in Sri Lanka—the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean.” This vibrant land, with its beautiful natural scenery, rich historical and cultural heritage, and warm and kind-hearted people, has left a deep impression on my wife, Jin Qian, and me. The warmth and friendship of the Sri Lankan people have touched us deeply. I also felt deeply honored by the mission entrusted to me and keenly aware of the greatresponsibility it carried.

Six years have passed in the blink of an eye. This has been the longest diplomatic posting for both of us. As we bid farewell, looking back on this unforgettable, fulfilling, and extraordinary journey, ourhearts are filled with gratitude and a deepreluctance to leave.

Over these 2,000 days, the bustling streets of Colombo, the serene and sacred Cultural Triangle, the misty and lush tea plantations of the up-country, the historic Galle Fort where the East meets the West,the ancient sites echoing with millennia-old heroic legacies, the distinctive local cuisine, and the culturally vibrant festivities—all have shown us this land’s exceptional natural endowments, splendid civilization, and magnificent history. My wife and I have also had the privilege of meeting many sincere friends from Sri Lanka’s government, parliament, political parties, media, think tanks, Buddhist community, civil society, and youth groups. Together, we have written a new chapter in carrying forward the traditional friendship between China and Sri Lanka and created countless beautiful memories.

This journey has witnessed China–Sri Lanka friendship become as deeply rooted and flourishing as the Sacred Bodhi Tree. China and Sri Lanka have a long history of friendly exchanges which have grown stronger over time. The moving stories of the ancient Silk Road from thousands of years ago have transcended mountains, seas, and the passage of time. Today, they continue to flourish and shine with renewed vitality in the new era. The friendly relations between China and Sri Lanka are rooted in deep historical ties, a solid political foundation, strong bonds of shared interests, and broad social support. Over the past 6 years, we have together weathered the test of the COVID-19 pandemic, joined hands to tide over Sri Lanka’s economic difficulties, rallied to withstand the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, and stood shoulder to shoulder in coping with the energy crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict. No matter how the political landscape changes or how the international situation evolves, China and Sri Lanka have always stood firmly together, carrying forward the spirit of independence, self-reliance, solidarity and mutual assistance enshrined in the Rubber-Rice Pact. Together, we share weal and woe and set a fine example for friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation among countries.

In 2025, President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders met with President Dissanayake and Prime Minister Amarasuriya during their visits to China, reaching important consensus and fruitful outcomes of cooperation. These interactions have provided new strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations. Today, political mutual trust between our two countries has continued to consolidate, economic and trade cooperation has further expanded, people-to-people and cultural exchanges have grown increasingly rich, and interactions at all levels—across departments, regions, and sectors—have become ever closer. At present, China-Sri Lanka relations are facing a historic opportunity to build on past achievements and forge ahead into the future. Both sides are committed to deepening the China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and everlasting friendship, painting a splendid picture of a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future through concrete actions.

This journey has witnessed China–Sri Lanka cooperation shine as brilliantly as Ceylon sapphires. China and Sri Lanka are fellow travelers on the path toward development and revitalization, and good partners of win-win cooperation. China has always supported Sri Lanka inpursuing a development path that suits its national conditions, and in focusing on economic development to achieve national prosperity. Over the past 6 years, I have been delighted to see fruitful outcomes in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and exchanges across various fields between our two countries. The Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port are thriving as key coastal hubs; construction on the first phase of the Central Expressway has fully resumed, accelerating connectivity between the central and western regions; the outpatient building of Sri Lanka’s National Hospital and the China-Sri Lanka Friendship National Nephrology Hospital have been put into operation, greatly improving local medical and health conditions; the China-aided project for the digital transformation of general education is progressing steadily, contributing to advancing the digitalization of education in Sri Lanka; nearly 2,000 units of affordable housing built with Chinese assistance have provided shelter for Sri Lanka’s low-income groups; and bilateral training programs tailored to Sri Lanka’sneeds have become an important “booster”for capacity building.

Today, China is one of Sri Lanka’s largest sources of foreign investment and one of its largest aid providers. The level of China-Sri Lanka economic and trade cooperation has been steadily rising, with robust exchanges and cooperation in port economy, modern agriculture, digital economy, culture, tourism, and other fields—vigorously promoting Sri Lanka’s economic and social development while bringing tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries. China will continue to share opportunities, pursue development, and promote prosperity with Sri Lanka through high-standard opening-up.

This journey has witnessed the friendship between our peoples become as rich and mellow as Ceylon tea. As a Sri Lankan poem says, “A true friend shares your joys and sorrows, like a mural that never turns its page.” Over the past 6years, my wife and I have traveled to every province of this beautiful island, visiting numerous temples, villages, communities, and schools, carrying out livelihood assistance initiatives, includingschool supply donation events, and attending inauguration ceremonies for China–aided water supply projects, water purification facilities, and Chinese language training centers. These events have brought the local people supplies and equipment brimming with the profound friendship and best wishes of the Chinese people. When we met local officials and residents, all we saw and heard were warmsmiles, eyes longing for friendship, andvoices eager for cooperation. Since 2023, China has donated school uniform fabric to Sri Lanka for 4 consecutive years, benefiting over 4.4 million students, and will continue to do so next year. The “small yet beautiful” livelihood projects have blossomed across the country. China’s goodwill has been highly praised by all sectors of Sri Lankan society, the bridge of people-to-people connection has become ever wider, and our two peoples have grown closer, hand in hand and heart to heart.

I vividly remember that my wife and I celebrated the Chinese New Year with Sri Lankan friends at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, where everyone warmly greeted us in Chinese with wishes of “Happy Chinese New Year!” The Dragon Boat Culture Festival, the “Tea for Harmony”Yaji Cultural Salon, the “Chinese Bridge”Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students, the Tai Chi Promotion Event, and the Chinese Film Festival have all been warmly embraced by the Sri Lankan people—a “Chinese culture craze” has truly taken hold here. My wife and I have also spent many Sinhala and Tamil New Years, Vesak Festivals, and Poya days, participating in a dazzling array of cultural and people-to-people exchange activities in Sri Lanka. Together, our two countries have composed a new chapter of dialogue, mutual learning, closer interaction, and mutual inspiration among civilizations in the new era. The millennial Buddhist bondbetween China and Sri Lanka is deeply rooted in the hearts of our peoples.Venerable monks and esteemed Buddhist leaders crossed mountains and seas to sow the seeds of friendship, leaving behind treasured tales—such as Master Faxian’s journey to seek scriptures and spread the Dharma, and Master Tissara’s eastward voyage to preach Buddhist teachings. Today, Buddhist exchanges and cooperation between our two sides have become a golden bridge connecting our peoples, injecting strong spiritual momentum into the advancement of bilateral relations.

My wife and I have also visited numerous kovils, mosques, churches, and other places of worship to distribute food packages, maintaining good interactions with believers of all faiths.

This journey has witnessed mutual trust and support between China and Sri Lanka stand as firm as Sigiriya Lion Rock. China and Sri Lanka have always steadfastly upheld the international system with the U.N. at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. We have adhered to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, supported and coordinated with each other in multilateral fields, and safeguarded each other’s core interests and international fairness and justice, sending a strong message of Global South solidarity and self-reliance, as well as a shared commitment to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. Our two countries are jointly advancing the building of a community with a shared future for humanity and implementing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, so as to address global challenges and create a brighter future for the world.

The China-Sri Lanka friendship reflects the shared aspirations of our peoples, and China-Sri Lanka cooperation represents the trend of the times. Next year will mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Sri Lanka. Looking ahead, China is willing to continue marching forward side by side with Sri Lanka to carry forward traditional friendship, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges. We will further strengthen the synergy of development strategies, deepen industrial and investment linkages between our two countries, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and continue to promote cooperation in infrastructure, new quality productive forces, new energy, modern agriculture, rural revitalization, poverty reduction, digital transformation, tourism, marine economy, port economy, science and technology, and other fields. We will expand Sri Lanka’s exports of specialty products to China, join hands to open up broad prospects for mutual success and shared prosperity, and build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future. By doing so, we can better benefit our two peoples. History and facts have proven and will continue to prove that partnering with China means embracing opportunities; believing in China means believing in tomorrow; and investing in China means investing in the future.

Though mountains may separate us, we share the same clouds and rain; though miles lie between us, we look upon the same moon. As a diplomat, I am destined to keep moving forward, ever embarking on new journeys. My wife and I are about to leave Sri Lanka, but we will always keep Sri Lanka in our hearts and continue to contribute to the cause of China-Sri Lanka friendship. We would like to take this opportunity to express our special gratitude to all sectors of Sri Lankan society—government, parliament, political parties, businesses, think tanks, media, and the Buddhist community—for their valuable contributions to the development of China-Sri Lanka relations and their strong support for the work of the Embassy. We also appreciate the sincere assistance of my fellow colleagues from the diplomatic corps in Sri Lanka. We are grateful to the overseas Chinese, Chineseenterprises, teachers and students in Sri Lanka for their vital role in deepening exchanges and cooperation and enhancing the friendship between our peoples. May the friendship between China and Sri Lanka endure and flourish forever! May our two countries prosper and flourish!May our peoples enjoy lasting happiness and well-being!