Ambassador, Dr. Palitha Kohona has been designated the Chairman of the 8th Global Diplomats’ Chinese Cultural Night 2023. The spectacular event was organized by Look we at the Grand Ballroom of the China World Hotel on 30 March, 2023.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Palitha Kohona praised China for having made tremendous economic progress since opening up its economy. He said that China’s successful elimination of absolute poverty, consistent with the UN Sustainable Development Goal I, was an unprecedented achievement in human history. He went on to say that the elimination of poverty was an aspiration of all countries, to realise a world “where poverty, hunger and deprivation do not stalk anyone”. He also emphasized the need to deal with the threat of climate change which has to be addressed as a priority for the sake of “our children and their children.”
Dr. Kohona said that Sri Lanka is stable today and it was safe and open to tourists. It has been identified as a “must visit” destination with countless world class attractions, in particular the smiling hospitality of its people. He emphasized the important Buddhist sacred sites which attracted Chinese monks and traders for millennia. Dr. Kohona also invited Chinese investors to think of Sri Lanka as a desirable offshore location, in the middle of an economically booming region, when they were considering expanding overseas.
On the sidelines of the cultural night, which attracted over 600 participants from the diplomatic and business elite of Beijing, a forum was held on the internationalization of Chinese brands and Belt and Road Country Promotion. At this forum, Dr. Kohona also emphasized the need for Sri Lankan businesses/ products to gain wider access to the lucrative Chinese market which will contribute significantly in uplifting the poor of Sri Lanka and eliminating poverty.
Sri Lanka's Kandyan dancing duo entertained the audience at the event and a video of Sri Lanka's attractions was played on a large digital screen during the performance.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Beijing
03 April 2023
