On January 27th, the 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" series of performances opened grandly at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo. Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Sri Lankan Speaker Hon. Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne attended the opening performance and delivered speeches. Sri Lankan former Presidents, Prime Ministers and Speakers, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Minister of Labor and around 1,200 audience including senior officials of the Sri Lankan government, diplomatic envoys, as well as local overseas Chineseand the local public gathered together to celebrate Chinese New Year in the event.
H.E. Qi Zhenhong said that the Spring Festivalembodies the cultural values of family reunion, harmony and renewal. Since its inscriptionon UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, it serves as a bridge to share cultural celebrations, fostering global civilization dialogue and mutual learning. China and Sri Lanka are reliable partners. The practical cooperation and cultural exchanges between the two countries are like two fast horses running side by side, continuously enhancing the common well-being of the people and injecting momentum into regional prosperity and stability.
Hon. Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne extended Spring Festival greetings to the people of China. He said that cultural exchange has always been an important pillar of bilateral relation, and the success of "Happy Chinese New Year" event is a vivid portrayal of the profound friendship between the two peoples.
The evening's cultural performances were brilliant. Artists from Dali, Yunnan Province showed a variety of Chinese folk arts. The performers strongly resonated with thousand audiences.The applause lasted for a long time.
The 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" will last until January 31st. The cultural events will also see performances, parades and other activities held at the Colombo Port City, the Hambantota International Conference Centre, and Colombo's historic Gangaramaya Temple area. Media of China and Sri Lanka reported extensively on the activities.