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“Dalai Lama’s visit could damage SL – China friendship” (Video / Pics)
Charge d’affairs of the Chinese embassy in Colombo – Mr. Hu Wei points out that a visit by the spiritual leader – Dalai Lama could damage the friendship between Sri Lanka and China.
He said this during an exclusive interview with ‘Sri Lanka Mirror’ at the Nellligala Temple, Kandy, after the conclusion of the Fa Xian project in Kandy district.
Explaining the mutual trust between the two countries is based on the ‘One China policy’, Mr. Hu explained that Tibet is not an independent country but a part of China, just like Jaffna or Kandy are a part of Sri Lanka.
He further noted that during his trip to Kandy, he had talks with the Buddhist monks including the Maha Nayaka Theros, who assured him that none of them had invited the Dalai Lama to visit Sri Lanka.
Working hard for a solution to the debt issue
Speaking on the debt restructuring process, Mr. Hu said that they have been talking to the Sri Lankan government since the debt default was announced but things got delayed with the situation last year and government change.
“It doesn’t matter what happened before but we are trying to focus on what is happening now and in the future. At this moment, my colleagues in Beijing are working very hard to find a solution for the debt issue,” he said.
Time to do more
Speaking on the future steps of the Fa Xian project, Mr. Hu also said that they hope to cover the entire island with the project and they are talking to Beijing to let more Chinese people know of the difficulties faced by Sri Lankans at this juncture.
“I think they are more than happy to extend their helping hand,” Mr. Hu said, adding that all Sri Lankans are their friends regardless of the city they live, their ethnicity or their religious belief.
“Just like what you did before for us, now it is time for us to do more for our Sri Lankan friends because you are in difficulties… When it is a good time, everybody is your friend but when it is a bad time, you know who is your true friend,” he added.
The Fa Xian Charity Project was conducted in Kandy on 11th & 12th Jan.
As a donation by the People’s Republic of China, dry rations boxes were distributed to 9,600 disadvantaged families of all ethnicities through several temples in the Kandy district, including the Temple of the Tooth and Nelligala Temple.
(Pics & Video : Kelum Shivantha | Shanika Jayasekara)
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2nd capacity-building program under NCGG-SLIDA MoU concludes
The second customized training program for Sri Lankan civil service officers under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) was successfully conducted from 26 May to 6 June 2025.
A total of 40 Sri Lankan officers participated in the program, which focused on strengthening public administration through digital governance and innovation.
The training program is part of a larger commitment under the MoU, signed during the state visit of the President of Sri Lanka, – Anura Kumara Disanayaka, to India in December 2024, aimed at training 1500 Sri Lankan civil servants over a period of five years.
Previously, 41 Sri Lankan civil servants attended the inaugural program on the same theme from 21 April to 02 May 2025.
The training focused on avenues for transforming governance through digital technologies – covering areas such as enhancing online public services, building robust digital infrastructure, expanding access to financial services via digital payments, and improving the way public grievances are addressed using innovative digital solutions. Senior Indian officials and domain experts shared insights into India’s leading digital governance initiatives such as ‘Aadhaar’, Digital Payments and Financial Inclusion, Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Public Finance Management System, among others. The participants also undertook field visits to key institutions such as the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, Election Commission of India, PM Gati Shakti Anubhuti Kendra, National e-Governance Division and the Computerized Land Record Centre in Uttarakhand. The program concluded with a cultural visit to the Taj Mahal.
Capacity-building is an important pillar of India’s development cooperation with Sri Lanka. Reinforcing India’s commitment further in this sector, Prime Minister of India during his recent state visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025 announced additional 700 customized training slots annually for Sri Lankan professionals. This significantly enhanced capacity-building endeavour of India thus will now benefit 1000 Sri Lankans annually.
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2nd capacity-building program under NCGG-SLIDA MoU concludes
