On June 12, the Second South Asian Conference of Sinologists and the China-Sri Lanka Scholars’ Civilization Dialogue commenced at the Bandaranaike International Conference Center in Colombo. Sun Chunlan, President of the International Confucian Association, Qi Zhenhong, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Abayarathna, and Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Senevirathna were present at the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. More than 200 scholars from China and South Asian countries, along with Sri Lankan media representativesattended the event.
Sun Chunlan emphasized that the significance of civilization dialogue and cultural exchanges ultimately lies in advancing mutual understanding among peoples, strengthening friendly ties, improving public welfare, and promoting regional development. She noted that South Asian sinologists have creatively integrated Confucianism with local cultures, continuously enriching their cognition, understanding, and expression of China, while injecting innovative ideas and academic momentum into addressing contemporary challenges and advancing global Sinology. She affirmed the International Confucian Association’s commitment to collaborate with all parties in promoting Sinology research and South Asian regional civilization dialogue, contributing to a new chapter in building a China–South Asia Community with a Shared Future.
Qi Zhenhong highlighted that China and South Asian countries share geographical proximity and a long history of exchange. He stated that China and Sri Lanka, as outstanding representatives of Eastern civilization, embody the essence of civilization dialogue through three enduring qualities: sustained peaceful exchanges, unwavering mutual support in adversity, and continuous innovation through mutual learning. He expressed China’s willingness to seize this dialogue as an opportunity to set sail on civilization exchange, compose a symphony of integrated civilizations, and foster a brighter human civilization.
The guests emphasized that proactive civilization dialogue amid global transformations helps build cooperative consensus, deepen mutual understanding, and address shared challenges. They urged active implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative to advance coexistence among diverse civilizations through exchange and win-win cooperation. Additionally, they called for strengthening regional Sinology academic networks and enhancing international cultural exchanges to benefit people across nations.
The opening ceremony also featured the establishment of the Sri Lanka Council of Sinologists under the World Sinology Center and the launch of The Debate on Sri Lanka-China Rubber-Rice Agreement (Chinese-Sinhala-English trilingual edition).